The Slave
by nudgenudgewinkwink
Summary: Amelia had never known anything but being a slave. When she becomes the property of her fourth master, a yautja who doesn't want the placid accepting nature beaten into her, she finds it difficult to adjust.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **The Woman On The Beach**

"Jim! Come the fuck on!" hissed David from where he was hidden in the undergrowth smeared liberally with mud all over his mostly naked body and smelling like decayed leaves.

It'd been four days since they'd arrived in this hellhole and it had been a nightmare since the moment they'd first opened their eyes.

They were not on Earth anymore – the three large moons in the sky being a testament to that fact. The jungle with the unbearable heat they had woken up in seemed to cover the entire planet and hosted a vast array of strange lifeforms. The strangest of which had hunted them all down without ever having shown them its face. Originally there had been nine of them. Nine who found each other within a few hours and had banded together with what weapons they had to find a way out of this place. Now... now they were only two.

The mud had been a welcome discovery. It somehow kept them hidden from their invisible pursuers although they had no clue of how it did that yet. Not that it mattered. Staying coated in the thick ooze kept Jim and David alive when the others had all been killed... when they'd all been butchered horrifically.

So they kept running, stopping only to eat whatever was available to catch with little effort or mess and slept in muddy pits as it appeared to be the only way to rest in safety.

"Dave... it's a woman! She's on the beach!"

His friend rolled his eyes. "You're losing your mind! Get back here and shut your goddamn mouth!"

"Just look!"

Dave finally scrambled on his belly forward until he joined Jim peering over the cliff edge. His friend wasn't joking. The figure was distant but he could definitely tell it was a human female with her clearly defined curves visible even at that distance and hair that twisted in the light breeze. Apparently unconcerned or unaware of the danger she was in, the woman with long plaited blonde hair and wearing very little clothing was cutting up some sort of fish she retrieved from the traps in the shallow waters. This little cove she was hidden was well concealed and protected with jagged canyons and shear drops separating it from the rest of the jungle. It was only by luck that they'd stumbled across a thin sliver of land that connected the main jungle to here.

"We should get down there. Looks to be a safe place. I bet she's been here the whole time we've been running! Having this cosy little spot all to herself!"

Dave gave a hollow laugh. "Yeah... let's pay her a visit. Wait! We don't have a weapon!"

"We can take her. She'll definitely be useful for one thing - population needs of course. We can scope out what else she has. Maybe even weapons we can use," Jim mused darkly before starting to climb down the cliff face.

* * *

They must have been quite a sight as they approached.

Enough that the young woman upon spotting them immediately grabbed the wooden spear at her side and got ready to fight.

She wore only the smallest cloth underwear for fishing on the beach that exposed the taut smooth skin of her body while leather bangles almost engulfed her slim arms. Big blue eyes expressed a heady mix of fear and determination as she settled into a broader stance. She was a pretty little thing and exactly what they would have gone for on Earth. Clearly they were blessed that on this other world they'd find a young woman who ticked every box. Only this time they wouldn't be stopping the fun early and burying the body elsewhere.

"Wooooh!" Jim pleaded in a singsong voice with hands up in a mock surrender to the woman ready to strike as they got closer. "Calm down little lady. We're friends."

"Maybe more than friends," David said with a sly look to Jim who gave an equally lecherous one in return.

"Back off!" the woman barked. "And get the hell out of here!"

"I don't think so. Do you know where you are? Do you realize what's out there?! Do you know how much danger you're in?! We can help..." Jim cooed at her.

"... for a price," David added "Keep you nice and safe."

That did nothing to help their case. Instead she raised her spear higher and jabbed it threateningly. "It's you that needs the protection! Get the hell away from me! I swear if I don't get you, he will!"

For the briefest moment the woman glanced at Jim without keeping one eye on David who took the opportunity to lunge at her. They both tumbled to the ground with the larger man knocking the spear from her hand.

She fought like a tigress, hitting and scratching her attackers who seemed to completely forget where they were. A backhand from a closed fist spurted blood from her nose following a horrifying crack as it broke. She howled in pain and was easily pinned to the sand as her brain struggled to refocus itself.

"You took her down so you get the first go!" Jim laughed as he held her arms down above her head while David held her legs.

His friend grinned and started to undo his pants eagerly. It'd been too long since he last got to enjoy this. His fingers had just reached the scrap of cloth covering the woman's crotch.

"Calm down girl! Don't make it rougher on you than it needs to b-" David laughed before he suddenly grunted. The breath escaped his lungs and blood poured from his mouth like a fountain, spraying itself over Jim and the woman beneath him..

"David!" Jim shouted in terror as two blades suddenly appeared through his friend's mud covered chest before they retracted and sliced through his neck. David's head rolled along the beach and into the water.

Jim let go of their victim althogther and ran for the spear they'd tossed aside earlier. As he turned around with the weapon in hand, he spotted the woman being lifted up back on to her feet by the air itself it seemed.

Suddenly the cloak fell away and a tall muscular masked being clad in armour with thick tentacle dreads appeared. The creature chuffed at the woman who was shaking violently and taking deep calming breaths through her mouth. It gently tilted her head, noting the blood pouring from the broken nose and the bruises forming on her fair skin before its large masked head turned and stared at Jim.

"Shit... shit shit shit!" he hissed at the creature advanced threateningly. Jim lunged forward with the spear, time slowing down for him as the creature easily dodged it and hammered its fist into the human's face. The world went dark.

* * *

His head was killing him. Jim opened his eyes blearily, wincing as the pressure in his brain made it feel like it was about to explode.

The loud chuffing and clicks that came from nearby shook him back to reality. He was lying on his side, naked and with bound hands and feet, on a cold metal floor in a darkened room.

The creature who'd knocked him out on that beach was there staring down at him with the young woman now more suitably wrapped up in a thick heavy tunic at his side. Jim idly noticed that she was apparently healed of the injuries they'd given her.

"What's going on?" Jim ventured to ask her.

Instead of answering him, the woman looked to the alien at her side who merely clicked at her behind his mask.

"You're going to be sold," the young woman replied at last.

"Sold?"

She nodded. "You're not a trophy he wants anymore. At least not after what you tried to do to me on the beach. So he'd going to sell you instead of taking your head. Being a slave isn't too bad. At least you'll have your life unlike your friend."

"God! Dav... He can't do this... he can't!"

The woman shrugged. "It's too late. You should be grateful. They take care of their male slaves really well. Just... sorry about your... I never understood why they do that."

Jim frowned. "What are you talking about?!"

He watched her bite her lip before pointing at his lower regions. Jim glanced down and screamed. The screams didn't stop until the alien clearly had enough and knocked Jim out again.

"A-mel-ia," the deep voice rumbled to the young woman. "Prepare the skulls I brought. Had enough of this hunt. We return home."

"And the one outside?"

"Leave. Not worthy. The scavengers will come for it soon enough."

Amelia bowed to Kaz'ilait who snorted with a vague disgust before making her stand upright. "No bowing. Not here when we are alone."

After he walked away deeper into the ship, Amelia peered down at the unconscious Jim and grimaced at the cauterized wound where his genitals once had been.

"A-mel-ia! Come!" came the distant shout of her master and she scurried out after him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Trophies**

Amelia gagged a little as the skulls of the other humans taken on this hunt were stripped of their flesh by the oozing chemicals held within the machine she'd been trained to use. She had to watch the process to ensure that it went smoothly so Amelia bit back the urge to vomit. She just had make this perfect! None of her other masters had ever entrusted her with this level of responsibility... except for this yautja.

She hadn't wanted to be sold but her last master, Kao'uk, had insisted on it. No more room for a human on board his ship. Amelia was just glad he hadn't ethuanised her for convenience and instead sold her to his former hunting partner Kaz'ilait.

He was very different to the others. For one he mostly spoke to her in English, dictating work with broken sentences and words. The menial tasks she was accustomed to were now supplemented with others. Kaz'ilait placed heavier responsibility on her, in particular this one. On the planet he'd tasked her with small hunts for fish each day, showing her how to construct the little traps she used and then leaving it to her to maintain them. After the couple of days, he'd then added more to her daily routine. Soon she was taking small treks unaccompanied through the safer jungle around the cove he'd chosen as their base camp to collect fruits and check on the traps he'd set.

Then he'd tasked her with preparing a feast for the other hunters planet side using what she'd found and a large four-headed boar like beast he'd brought to her..

He confused her. None of her other masters would have given her those tasks. She would have been given the worst jobs on the ship and not allowed the freedom she had on the planet. None of them would have given up on trophies just because of what had happened to her on the beach. But Kaz'ilait had. She didn't understand and the yautja wasn't freely giving his reasoning why.

Then there was that man in the cargo hold and everything to do with him. That confused her more.

Before she could ponder it, the machine beeped and flickered familiar symbols across its interface before lifting the now perfectly cleaned skulls out of the vat.

* * *

When Kaz'ilait finally decided to check on her progress, Amelia was sitting cross-legged on the cold metal floor hard at work polishing and adding a wax coat to the last skull.

Amelia kept her gaze low until she was certain he wasn't looking at her before she risked a glance up at him. Kaz'iliat was far bigger than any of her other masters, his imposing frame wrapped in muscle. His skin was mostly a vibrant cream with mottled green and black along the ridges. His eyes haunted her. Bright amber flecked with red that sucked her in when he held her gaze. She quickly focused on her work once more before he could notice her wandering gaze.

He reviewed the six other trophies lined up on the table, purring his approval of the work before extending his hand to her. Amelia didn't know exactly what he wanted and was surprised when he dipped lower, grabbed her arm and lifted her back to her feet with the last skull still clutched in her hands.

"Good," he intoned before taking the skull from her shaky hands and placing it among its fellows.

Kaz'iliat muttered a few words she couldn't decipher as he reviewed the full set.

"Thank you for the honor of tending to your trophies," she sputtered out before bowing lowly.

"Up. No bowing," was his sharp retort. "Prepare a meal now."

Amelia hurried to leave, stalling at the door as a thought struck her.

"Master? Will I feed the new slave too?"

"No," Kaz'iliat rumbled back with his gaze locked on her.

"But he's weak. He might not last the trip to the slave markets."

The yautja snorted. "He will or will not. No food until his new master."

Amelia nodded and as she turned to leave a large hand landed on her shoulder. No master touched her except if giving instruction. Kaz'iliat had touched her often since he'd bought her and without it ever being a reproach. She still struggled to not jump in fear at it.

She turned her head to face him. He was so close to her now with mandibles twitching.

"A-me-lia... no sadness for slave. Forbid it. Bad-blood. He will learn or die."

She nodded meekly.

"Get food. Will join you. Good work. Be proud."

* * *

It hadn't been easy but Amelia managed to make a meal she hoped that Kaz'iliat would appreciate.

He wasn't just an unusual yautja in behavior. His tastes were different from others she knew too. He preferred meat cooked although he would consume raw if necessary. He liked to nibble the fruits and berries she found in the jungle, enough that he even brought back a large sack of them after one of his many hunting trips.

Her hard work was rewarded as he eagerly consumed the meal she had made. Kaz'iliat insisted she take her meal with him and used the time to pepper her with questions that she often didn't know the answer of. She got the feeling he was more using the meals as practice for speaking her language although she wasn't sure why he wanted to do that.

"Why did you wish to feed the bad-blood?" he queried her with amber eyes locked intensely on her own blue.

"I don't know. Felt bad for him. Even though he nearly... I'm an idiot."

"No. Smart. Bright. Not sure why you make excuses for the bad-blood."

Amelia pondered it for a moment before she replied, "To prove to myself that I'm not like him."

Her master peered at her before clicking his mandibles together in a faint chuckle. "Good answer. You are no bad-blood."

Kaz'iliat finally stood up from the table. "You may feed the man but do not release him from his bonds."

"As you wish, master."

"No," he replied. "As you wish. Bad-blood will be sold, living or dead. Only you decide which."

Amelia was wide-eyed in shock. "B-b-but... I'm just a slave too!"

That seemed to spur something in Kaz'iliat who pulled her to her feet. "Bought no slave. See no slave. Want no slave. Must keep up appearances for other yautja."

"I don't understand!"

Kaz'iliat muttered again in his native tongue before adding to her, "Training you. Prove to Kao'uk that you can be powerful hunter. Companion and bait for hunts."

Amelia paled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **A-me-lia**

Amelia couldn't sleep that night even though she was living in luxury compared to where she'd slept before she came under Kaz'iliat's ownership.

She had her own room from the moment she stepped on-board her new master's ship instead of sleeping in a corner of a storeroom like she was used to under her previous owners. The bed was the first she'd ever slept in since becoming a slave that was even vaguely similar to what she had on Earth. It was comfortable and afforded her the opportunity to stretch out her entire body in relaxation. Not that she could relax even though she tried desperately.

What her master had said weighed on her. She wasn't a hunter. Amelia could barely stomach cleaning out and preparing what the yautja would bring to her let alone actually killing anything above the size of a fish. And he wanted her to do that.

Amelia stared at the ceiling with her heart racing. Even when she'd be trying to defend herself on that planet she never thought she'd have to kill anyone. But then Kaz'iliat came to her rescue when she'd almost been... She grimaced as the memory of what had almost happened followed by the brutality that followed assaulted her with its intensity. She'd never seen anyone actually murdered before. She'd seen the leftovers of the yautja's hunts but the actual act...

Her stomach rolled and churned, threatening to make her vomit as her mind then dragged her to the grotesque memory of the skulls she'd cleaned. When would that be her head being put into the vats, she pondered.

* * *

The door to her room slid open and disturbed her from the grim thoughts running in circles in her mind.

She sat up, pulling a fur pelt to quickly cover her naked body, as Kaz'iliat strode in purposefully while carrying the little metallic collar she had worn until they'd landed on the planet.

"Fixed it," he practically chirped at her.

"Fixed?"

"Removed the explosive charge. Tracker still working but no longer any fear of it detonating if you go too far away."

Kaz'iliat motioned her to stand. The young woman jumped immediately to her bare feet with the pelt still wrapped firmly around her body. The yautja gently slid it around her neck, careful not to nick her skin as he closed it. Amelia adjusted it so it sat more comfortably on her collar bone before noticing that her master was... petting her? She watched the strange unfamiliar look on Kaz'iliat's face as he'd taken hold of her bare shoulders and was rubbing the palms of his hands over her soft skin in circles.

He stopped when he noticed some bruising he'd missed when he'd healed her earlier that day.

"Hurt?"

She shook her head lightly.

"Then we can fix that tomorrow," he growled.

"Of course, master."

"Will be back at port in six cycles. You start training tomorrow."

Amelia blanched. "What training?"

"To fight. Different weapons and styles. Start small and see how it goes."

He turned to leave, stalling when Amelia carefully – and shakily - asked, "What if I don't want to do this, master?"

She ducked her gaze down to her feet, hearing more than seeing him return to stand before her.

"You must. Must learn to fight and hunt. Must be like one of us. Be as a yautja."

"I don't understand why I have to do this. I'm happy to just be a slave," she sputtered out.

His warm rough hands landed on her neck. Amelia half expected him to grab her more forcefully but was pleasantly surprised as instead he started to massage her neck with those large hands before running them over her skin and down along her arms. She almost melted into a boneless pile when he started purring.

"Stay a slave and you will not live long with the wrong master."

Amelia pulled the pelt up higher, cutting off his hands from her skin. "Would you kill me when I'm no longer useful?"

Kaz'iliat peered at her oddly. "It would be the yautja way."

She was vaguely disappointed as though she expected a different answer. "I'm not as strong as you think I am," she muttered instead.

"No. You are stronger. Sleep. Will start you off like pup tomorrow. Basics first."

* * *

Kaz'iliat left her to rest and strode off to his next destination which didn't take long consider his long strides.

He huffed lightly as he took his seat in the pilot's chair and got to work. After setting in the final course and reviewing the ship's calculations before allowing it to take control, Kaz'iliat meandered back to his own room and sank into the circular bed filled with pelts from his hunting exploits.

He pondered over the past few weeks as he stared at the metallic ceiling in the dim light.

Maybe this was a mistake but he had to try. Not that he could ever tell his young slave of his true plans for her. Not even Kao'uk knew even though Kaz'iliat had to beat him soundly in a challenge fight that had nearly gone to the death in order to win the human off him.

The hunt had gone better than he'd thought if he didn't dwell on the last day. He'd gotten some pretty good trophies including the head of a _tolic_ the size of Amelia herself and even another slave to sell at the markets. The male appeared strong and capable of work. Being already castrated would only increase the price Kaz'iliat would get for the man. Arriving when he did to that beach and seeing A-me-lia struggle against two males of her own kind had only reinforced to Kaz'iliat that he needed to make her efficient at fighting and killing.

"A-me-lia..." he said out loud, trying to make it sound as natural as possible. Still had work to do on that. But he'd made a break through with the young woman. She didn't shudder at his touch anymore. He'd even more than once caught her sneaking a peek at him when she believe he wasn't paying attention. Tomorrow would be better. He was certain of it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Learning  
**

"Get up, pup. Must get back on your feet."

Amelia was exhausted and even though she attempted to follow Kaz'iliat's orders, her body just couldn't.

It collapsed under her own weight, her muscles trembling violently before letting her down completely with a loud bang as she fell face first into the floor.

She blinked back tears as she heard her master's sign of frustration. He left her slumped there as he strode out of the training arena - his _kehrite_ he'd proudly told her.

The sweat was pumping out of her. The smooth wooden staff she'd been using was still clamped in her hands as she took gasping breathes into her burning lungs.

It had only taken an hour and a half of training and she was practically collapsed.

Her master had not taken it easy on her in spite of his assurances that he'd treat her like a pup.

After she'd learned the basic move of defense, he'd gone on the attack, forcing Amelia to defend constantly until her many defensive lapses where he'd strike her legs or arms and the lack of fitness culminated into the state she was in right now.

"I... gotta get up!" she snapped at herself before groaning with effort as she pushed herself upright. She had to do this. Amelia had to prove that she wasn't worthless. That her usefulness wasn't over yet. The talk from the night before rushed to the front of her brain. She couldn't let him believe that she was no longer worth keeping around.

As her brain set her into a panic, her arms were finally responding to her desperate summons. "GET UP! Just fucking work!" she howled to herself as it started to finally go her way.

* * *

A large hand, warm and strong, wrapped itself around her midriff and pulled her upright, removing the strain from her limbs. She glanced over her shoulder, slightly fearful of the expected wrath but found none. Instead her master had returned to her with the familiar jar of healing ointment.

He slowly pried the staff from her almost rigid hands before he motioned her to sit. After placing the weapon back in it's place on the rack, the tall hunter started to tend to Amelia's sore muscles and injuries.

"I'm sorry, master."

The yautja didn't seem phased at all. She was getting a lot better at reading his emotions and didn't see anything aggressive in his body language.

"No apologies. To be expected. Get stronger through practice and time."

Once he'd completed his work and Amelia felt well enough to move, Kaz'iliat ordered her to make food for them both.

* * *

The following cycle fell into a similar pattern. They'd train, Amelia would collapse and her master would cease the session until the ointment had done its work.

By her eighth session, Amelia was almost able to defend against every attack Kaz'iliat pressed her with. The confidence she gained soon boosted her movements and resolve. Then as quickly as she'd gained it, she found it was as almost rapidly dashed as her master somehow upped his game and she went tumbling down once more.

"Shit!" she cursed.

Her master cocked his head at her expletive like a strange alien bird.

"I thought I had this!" Amelia clarified before getting back to her feet. She immediately got back into her correct stance. The action, unconscious to her, pleased her master who chuffed happily.

"Ready!" she finally said when back in position. Kaz'iliat instead strode to the weapons rack and put away his own.

"Enough for this cycle," he huffed. "Must eat then rest."

"But..." Amelia stopped as she realize that slaves weren't supposed to question their master.

"But what?"

"Nothing."

Kaz'iliat snorted. "Eager to learn. Eager to prove yourself. Don't be too eager to rush into danger, _Yeyinde_. It will find you soon enough."

He turned on his heel and strode away with a careless bark of "Come, A-me-lia" over his shoulder.

Amelia carefully placed back the staff into the holder next to the one her master had returned shortly before her. He'd promised her that once she'd mastered the wooden staff then the true weapon of hunter, a combistick, would be hers to wield. In spite of all her misgivings, Amelia was looking forward to it.

* * *

Kaz'iliat was seated at the metal table just outside the kitchen door when she eventually joined him.

"Food," her master said sharply as he pushed a plate of various and vividly coloured bits of food.

"Thank you, master."

Amelia had started poking at her good when the yautja rumbled, "Kaz'iliat."

"Sorry, master?"

"No master. Kaz'iliat. Kaz."

Amelia blinked. "I don't understand."

Her master thumped his chest. "Kaz!" He reached out and gently touched hers in a far less aggressive fashion. "A-me-lia."

Realisation dawned on her. "Oh. I should call you... Kaz?"

That now familiar flickering mandibles with clicking horns and chuffing that signaled a pleased yautja was all that she needed in reply.

"But mast- Kaz... it's not right. They told me that they'd-"

"M-di. No. I know what you speak of," Kaz'iliat answered her. "Master before others. When just A-me-lia and Kaz then no master."

She kept her head low and nodded, biting back the slight smile before freezing. Things were going too well. She had to keep her guard up for the fall that would inevitably come.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Home**

She'd never been allowed to sit in the flight deck of any ship for the final approach. Well, never been allowed in there at all as a matter of fact.

Her fascination with the seemingly countless flashing lights and consoles were only overcome by the impressive sight of the huge vessel that soon dominated the main view-port.

Kaz was focused on his task although Amelia was aware of his amusement at her excitement.

"I never knew that the home ship was this big," she mumbled after he'd clucked his tusks together goodhumouredly at a gasp she let out involuntarily.

"Mi-i? Never explored?"

"Not really allowed," Amelia replied before ducking her gaze to her clasped hands. She'd have to be careful now. To remember herself and her place once they got on the ship and back among the other yautjas. That past few weeks with Kaz had been, well, blissful.

The training had gone really well. Or at least Amelia believed it had. Kaz had given no indication he thought otherwise and she'd come to know the yautja far better than any of her other masters.

And he now knew her too.

The implication in her reply caused him to briefly look away from his work and over to her.  
"Will take you exploring when we've rested."

She couldn't stop the smile that erupted on her face. "That would be wonderful!"

"Dock first. Then rest. Will show you around after."

* * *

Amelia followed after Kaz like a good devoted slave should do with hands clasped together and head bowed to avoid eye contact with any other yautja that crossed their path.

He'd been sure to clip on the long chain that functioned as a lead to her collar before leading her along the winding corridors packed with yautja.  
She'd learned long ago not to feel shame or anger about the leash. It functioned more as protection. Kaz was asserting his claim on her to all others they encountered, letting them know who she belonged to. It kept others from attempting to take her for themselves.

Slaves spoke of status among the yautja. The more difficult the prey you kept as a slave then the higher the status.  
Even though Amelia would never have classified herself as something to fear, apparently humans had been more than successful on numerous occasions at besting yautja. Having a human among your retinue was something to value, even if it was someone like Amelia.

The thought of other humans caused her to remember Jim. He'd survived the trip back to her surprise and to Kaz's amusement when he bundled the new slave off the vessel into the firm embrace of his new master. He'd organized the exchange long before they'd arrived and Amelia couldn't help feel the pang of sadness as Jim was hauled screaming away. She knew how hard it was at the start to accept things. She could only hope that he'd figure out fast that being a good slave was better than being a trophy.

Amelia became so engrossed in her thoughts that she never registered the leash slacking and the fact that Kaz had come to a halt. She walked straight into a wall of warm hard flesh.

"I'm sorry, master!" she gushed even as the yautja peered at her with faint concern at her lack of attention..

Kaz immediately ignored her apology. "Home," he said happily. "And rest!"

* * *

He led her into his private suite of rooms that made up his home on the ship. Amelia knew the basic layout as they were almost all the same for every yautja bar for decorations. She was immediately taken by the monstrous skull that Kaz had mounted on the wall above his large pelt covered bed.

"What is that?" she almost whispered.

Kaz, who was busy removing the leash from her collar, chuffed. "You like?"

"I've never seen anything like it!"

"Difficult prey. Mother of _k_ _ainde amedha_. Nearly claimed me as trophy. Now rest."

After removing the leash, Kaz slinked over to his bed, tossing off his armor to the floor, and immediately stretched out on it.

He glanced at Amelia when he realized she was looking around confused.

"What's wrong?" he muttered.

"I, ahem... my other masters had a small bed for me. I don't see any."

"Bed," Kaz chuffed before using his left hand to pat the empty space beside him.

Amelia blanched. "I could take the floor..."

"Bed!" the yautja barked before watching intently as Amelia hesitantly approached the bed. She awkwardly reached down and struggled to figure out a way to get onto the bed that didn't result in her being crushed up against Kaz.

The yautja ended her internal debate by grabbing her firmly by the arm and pulling her down in one movement.

After a brief shuffling on the various pelts, Amelia found herself on her side pressed against Kaz who already had eyes closed and gently clicking in a yautja form of snoring.

She'd never been this close to any yautja and didn't know if this was something she could tolerate considering how tense she now was.

But to her surprise, she began to relax. Kaz was so warm, like a giant hot water bottle covered in a rough but not unpleasant hide. He kept up a strange rumble, not dissimilar to the more deliberate purr he had used on her. As she drifted off to sleep, Amelia could help but notice how muscular he felt under her hands.

* * *

She jolted awake at the sound of the door opening loudly and the harsh clicks and guttural tongue of two yautja as they said goodbye.

Amelia had woken up just in time to see her former master, Kao'uk, taking his leave.

She grasped the furs that covered her tightly to her chest. Her heart was pounding because of something she never expected. Fear. She was afraid he'd take her away.

Kaz, now aware she was awake, tilted his head in concern as he clearly picked up on the emotions running uncontrolled through Amelia.

"A-me-lia?" he rumbled softly. "Nothing to fear."

"Why was Kao'uk here?"

Kaz approached her carefully as though she was a skittish animal he was attempting to tame.

"Visit. Wanted to know what trophies I brought back."

"Oh... he wasn't looking to take me back?"

"Mi-di."

Amelia loosened her grip on the pelt and pondered why she'd reacted so strongly to the thought of going back. He hadn't been a bad master at all. In fact he'd allowed her more freedom than any other until Kaz had come along.

"A-me-lia?"

"Yes master?"

"No other masters for you except me."

She glanced up him, being a little surprised as how close he'd gotten to her undetected.

"I don't understand."

Kaz clicked his tusks rapidly. "No more masters. If have to give you away, will take you home and release."

She gaped as what he was saying struck her. He'd take her home. If he had no choice but... he'd take her home! Amelia blinked rapidly. Earth... home... she could go home, she thought.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **The Old Adjudicator**

She'd never seen so many yautja together in one place. Amelia had heard of the lower markets but never dreamed they'd be as massive as they were.

Full of stores and merchants who were transient arrivals she gathered from Kaz. They'd dock, set up store then move on again in a few weeks leaving the markets in a constant state of change.

With the large crowds came increased likelihood of yautja fighting each other over varied things. Mini battles would erupt so easily from what seemed to be nothing before dissipating after brief but violent exchanges that always ended with one participant limping away.

If she'd been alone, Amelia would have been too petrified to go any deeper into the crowds. But Kaz and the chain link lead he held clutched in his hand tightly afforded her a degree of security.

A gentle tug on her collar brought her back out of her thoughts. She'd slowed down while gazing at the vibrant lights and the myriad items on sale. Kaz was now signalling her to keep up which she did eagerly when she realized how big the gap had become between them. He stood still until Amelia reached his side before continuing on. She didn't know where they were going but Kaz seemed to have somewhere in particular in mind.

The mass of yautja parted at his approach and allowed them both to move forward unhindered. She pondered about that.

Kaz had seemed like any other yautja to her eyes but others here on this ship stepped aside for him respectfully.

She knew Kao'uk had held him in high esteem although she thought that had been because they'd hunted together frequently. Now she wasn't so sure.

* * *

Kaz suddenly veered from the straight path he'd been on and led her down a side-street that had been mostly hidden by a store selling the most beautiful fabrics Amelia had ever seen.

They didn't go down too far before Kaz stopped and rapped his knuckles in a very human way on a door which slid open almost immediately.

"Come in! Was expecting you to call as soon as you landed!"

Amelia was surprised to hear both english being spoken and the human woman with dark hair mingled with grey who spoke it. She smiled warmly at Amelia before grabbing her hand and helping her inside.

"And you must be Amelia! Kaz has told me so much about you! Come in! I've got some food ready for you both."

The woman unhooked the lead from Amelia's collar before passing the chain to the nonplussed Kaz who followed in quietly.

"Let me look at you!" the woman said before drawing back and glancing over Amelia who blushed furiously. "You need some new clothes. But you are a very pretty young thing. I'll call the merchant I know. He'll have something for you most assuredly."

She clearly saw the blanched look on Amelia's face as she added hurriedly, "Oh don't worry dear! It'll be charged to Kaz's account."

Amelia glanced at her master who was seemingly unfussed at any of this and was in fact taking a seat at the old fireplace.

The woman hurriedly moved Amelia to a nearby seat. "I'll get you some tea! Kaz? Help in the kitchen please."

"Sei-i," he mumbled before he followed after the older human.

She returned alone with two cups full of sweet tea Amelia remember tasting once on Earth.

"I never got your name..." she asked as one cup was handed over to her.

"He hasn't told you, has he? Oh well. My human name was Mary."

Amelia smiled warmly. "How long have you been here?"

"Among the yautja? Far too long," Mary chuckled. "Tell me about yourself. Kaz told me you are called Amelia? It's a very pretty name. Suits you."

She blushed furiously. "I'm not sure about that."

"He thinks you're pretty," Mary said with a firm gaze locked on the young blonde fidgeting awkwardly.

"I don't see how."

"Just like humans, yautja aren't necessarily bound by the limits of physical beauty defined by their own species. It's also helpful that we are similar in physicality. Kaz himself is a very attractive yautja... don't you think?"

Amelia went bright red, stray thoughts she'd had in the weeks prior suddenly flooding her mind.

"I think we should stop..."

"Why? His father's extremely handsome too. And accomplished. Shame they don't quite see eye to eye," the woman added with a slight smile.

"They don't?"

"No. Bad business that. Over the boy's mother. I've known him since he was a pup and sure he's close to 400 years old now!"

* * *

Amelia's brain stuttered to a stop. "Sorry... you're what?"

"I'm old, Amelia. Far older than I look. You'll be that way too."

The young woman blanched. "I don't think so. I'm just a human."

"A human among yautja. With a very strong determined yautja who is currently your carer. Kaz won't let you go to the Black Warrior so easily."

"You! You need to stop that!" Amelia blurted out in a rush, jumping to her feet in temper.

Mary grinned. "Hit a nerve?"

"Just stop! Don't... don't talk about him that way!"

"And why not?"

"You shame him! You shame him by saying such things!"

"What things?"

Kaz emerged from wherever he'd been hiding and peered curiously at Amelia whom he'd never seen in quite a rage as this and Mary who lounged in her seat grinning mischievously.

"Nothing, Kaz. I was just testing your apprentice."

"And?"

"And she's not quite as meek as I was lead to believe. Fiery over you and your honor."

Amelia glared daggers at Mary while turning beetroot red. Her master just chuffed pleasantly.

"A-me-lia. This is Adjudicator Hil'rak."

She swung wide terrified eyes between the amused Mary and Kaz who was nonplussed.

"Forgive m-"

"Shut it!" Mary barked. "I like people with a bit of backbone!"

She got to her feet and slapped Amelia across the shoulder, nearly knocking her off her feet.

"Couldn't let Kaz pick the wrong one," she added lowly so only the young woman heard before striding to Amelia's master.

"She'll do fine."

"My thanks, Adjudicator."

Amelia suddenly felt a chill run through her. "What's going on, master?"

"Adjudicator Hil'rak will tend to you. Train you. Have important hunt on another planet. Must attend but too dangerous for new-blood like you."

"Of course, master," Amelia said, carefully hiding her upset at the news by bowing lowly.

"She's strong. Will teach you the same," Kaz rumbled as he lifted her chin back up so her eyes met his. "On return, expect to see how much you have learned. Expect you to be ready for hunt of your own."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 **Change**

"Here. Drink. Then back on your feet."

Mary, or Hil'rak as Amelia had come to know the older human woman as, tossed her a small leather pouch full of cool refreshing water that her student gulped down eagerly.

Every waking hour it seemed since Kaz's departure had found the pair hard at work in the old Adjudicator's _kehrite._

Her master's orders had been absolute. Amelia needed to be ready to wield a combistick and face the first true test of her training by the time he returned. And Hil'rak drove her young student hard in preparation.

But soon so many cycles it seemed had come and gone and yet Kaz'ilat had not returned.

Amelia sat on the cold hard floor with a sweat drenched back pressed against the almost unbelieveably colder wall.

"Adjudicator? May I ask you a question?"

"Yes, young one?"

"Have you heard at all from my master?"

Amelia asked the question with a voice as monotone as she possibly could make it, desperate to keep the worry over the absent yautja that sometimes became so overbearing that it practically strangled her.

"He'll return soon."

"How soon?"

"A few cycles more perhaps. The hunt was a long long way from here," Hil'rak remarked absentmindedly as she focused on adjusting her combistick.

"So... you've heard from him?"

"Indeed."

"And?"

"And what?"

Amelia couldn't hold it back anymore. "What did he say?! Is he alright?! It's not that hard to just say if he's okay!"

She immediately regretted her outburst as Hil'rak grinned at her. "Well now... look at that. One would almost think you had feelings for him."

Amelia clamped her mouth shut with lips tightly pursed in disapproval at the teasing Hil'rak.

"He's fine. A few knocks but that's to be expected where he went."

"Where did he go?" Amelia asked quietly once she managed to push down the temper that had flashed up so quickly.

"He was hunting kainde amedha. A great test of strength and cunning. He'd planned this hunt long before he stole you away from your former master."

Amelia blinked. "He didn't steal me. I was sold..."

"Oh sure. After Kaz and your old master had traded blows over you. Didn't you know?"

Amelia shook her head gently, trying and failing to hide her surprise.

"Young lady, Kaz had his eye on you for a lot longer than you even knew he existed," Hil'rak added with grin. "Now back to your feet. We continue."

She tossed the wooden staff back to Amelia who grabbed reflexively. "You can't just say that and not tell me more!"

Hil'rak set into a familiar stance. "You best me and I'll tell you everything you need to know!"

* * *

She didn't win. The bruises on her body and face a testament to the small battle that happened as Amelia tried and failed to win more words from Hil'rak.

Not that the old woman took offense. She merely handed over the now very familiar healing cream and let Amelia relax for the night. Relaxing was the furthermost thing from her mind.

Hil'rak couldn't have been right. She knew for certain that she'd been sold. Kao'uk had insisted on it. She'd been blessed that Kaz had been so kind to take her under his wing like he did. Amelia couldn't believe he'd have any reason to do it but kindness, something she'd once have never said about any yautja.

But until she was strong enough to best Hil'rak or more likely have Kaz return then answers would escape her.

"Young one?"

Amelia jolted up in the bed at Hil'rak's soft voice calling her from outside her door.

"I'm awake. Come in."

The door slid open in a disconcerting silence to reveal Hil'rak carrying a cup of warm tea.

"Thought you might need a cuppa after the day you had."

"Thank you," Amelia sighed before taking it from her and eagerly taking a sip.

Hil'rak took a seat on the bed beside with her student.

"I had another motive then just bringing you tea..."

"I suspected," Amelia chuckled.

"Kaz'iliat will be back far sooner then the time-frame I told you of. But I need you to be aware that his status will have significantly changed when he does."

"Okay..."

"He's achieved something magnificent. Something that even among yautja is rare. Kaz'iliat and his two companions have completed the last challenge required before elevation to being Clan Leaders."

Amelia paled. "Oh."

"Oh indeed. I don't know what he plans on doing but I feel that you should remain with me during this transition. It will be... difficult for you to adjust. What do you think?"

"I don't know. I mean I trust you."

Hil'rak sighed. "The start of a new Clan is a difficult process with Kaz's time at the beginining taken up by siring pups. I fear your training and safety would fall to the wayside and I refuse to see my good work disappear. If it's alright with you I would like to request that your ownership would transfer to me. Is that okay with you?"

Amelia couldn't stop the sinking feeling inside. "Sure. It would be for the best..."

"Good! I'll message him with the plan," Hil'rak chuckled before she patted Amelia's knee as she rose in a fluid motion from her seat. "I'll see you first thing in the morning. Lots of work left to do."

* * *

They spoke no more of it and Amelia came to understand through the silence that Hil'rak's request had been approved.

The training continued at a pace. Everyday she grew stronger and stronger to the point that the older woman had even started mention taking the next big step of a proper hunt to test all that Amelia had learned.

It had been a normal day. Normal was relative Amelia had long since figured out. Normal once had meant going to college, calling her foster parents and chilling with friends. Now it was being drenched in sweat despite wearing practically nothing while feeling like just one giant bruise.

Amelia had just put away the last mat when a deep rumbling voice caused her skin to shiver with goose-pimples.

"A-me-lia..."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **A New Start**

Amelia stood trembling in the shadow of Kaz'iliat who seemed puzzled at her reaction.

"A-me-lia," he said again. "Have come back to collect you."

"I... I thought that I belonged to Hil'rak now."

Kaz tilted his head, amber eyes locked on her blue quizzically. He was attempting read her emotional state Amelia realized.

But she was more just taking in the view of him. He had a few new scars that were well hidden among the mottled color of his skin. But other than that he seemed in one piece to her intense relief.

"Did not lie," Kaz finally said.

"Lie?"

"Before. Said no other master. Meant no other master. Have returned to collect you."

Amelia started to laugh softly with a smile creeping up the corners of her mouth. Then to Kaz's surprise, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Later on Amelia would wonder at how Kaz didn't kill her, knowing as she did that yautja were trained from birth to react to sudden unexpected rushes with violence.

But he didn't. Instead he allowed her to hold onto him as if he was the sturdiest rock in the middle of a turbulent river that threatened to sweep her away.

"Would not lie to you," he trilled carefully with a purr rumbling in his chest and nearly vibrated through her body and into her very soul. Kaz gently pried her free from his own form and carefully pushed her a short distance away with his hands dwarfing her shoulders in the act of holding them.

"Come. Get your things. We must leave."

* * *

"She's going nowhere."

Kaz's mandibles flared out and the purr he had for Amelia turned into a snarl.

"Belongs to me. Not you, Adjudicator."

Hil'rak, who had strolled in as Kaz spun to face the new arrival, was unmoved at the snarling growling yautja before her. "What is your intentions for the girl? You can't watch her as Clan Leader. Your time will need to be spent elsewhere."

"My thoughts my own!" Kaz hissed at her. "A-me-lia stays with me. Decision final."

Hil'rak frowned. "What the hell are you thinking? The first females looking to join your new clan will not look on her kindly. You know this."

"Not an issue."

"I know how this works far better than the girl does! I'm not going to let her walk into a vipers den just because you want to use her against your sire!"

The roar that came from the yautja stumped even Hil'rak into silence. Kaz's mandibles flared out as the deafening noise erupted from his throat and echoed in the silence that came after.

"Stand aside. We leave. Now," he snapped at the Adjudicator in the strained aftermath. The conversation was over as far as Kaz was concerned.

Hil'rak took a step back, conceding ground to the yautja before sidestepping past him.

"You best get your things, young one."

As Amelia passed her by, Hil'rak snaked out a hand and grabbed her firmly.

"Do you want this? Say the word and I'll stop him from taking you," she whispered.

Amelia gave a weak smile. "It'll be okay. Even if what you say is true. Thank you. For everything."

"Go to my room. I've a small communicator there. Was meant to be a gift for you. Take it and stay in touch. If things get too tough then you call."

* * *

They went straight to Kaz's small ship to her surprise.

Amelia half expected that the ceremonies and celebrations for his great achievement plus the obvious invitations from willing mates would mean they would be on-board for some time but it clearly wasn't part of Kaz's plan.

She'd barely gotten into the ship when he slammed the doors and set about undocking.

The scowl that had been almost permanently on his face since leaving Hil'rak was a sign to Amelia that she should just move her items to the room assigned to her and wait until Kaz was ready to speak to her.

She'd just reached it when the ship jolted as Kaz launched them both away from the security of the home vessel and out into the void of space.

Kaz didn't come looking for her immediately so she took the opportunity to go over the many stances she learned from her time with Hil'rak.

With one of the wooden training poles in her hand, Amelia closed her eyes and attempted to remember every move, every lunge and swing from her training.

According to Hil'rak, when the moves were done right they should flow seamlessly into each other and the wielder would become a practically untouchable.

She spun around the training room, trying to make each as natural and as seamless as possible but feeling as though she wasn't quite there yet.

* * *

Amelia was jolted to a halt when her staff contacted a solid mass and her eyes fluttered open to meet Kaz's impassive face. He'd caught her weapon with one hand even when she was mid spin.

"Better. Very good."

"I've been practicing."

He nodded with approval before he picked up a wooden pole himself.

"Show me," Kaz replied as he settled into a similar stance to what Hil'rak would have.

Amelia went on the attack. First strike was a faint to force Kaz's defense one way before she spun rapidly and jabbed his vulnerable side.

Only... it didn't work on the yautja as well as it would have with Hil'rak. Kaz was too fast and easily deflected it before he struck forward which Amelia dodged gracefully.

Amelia in the very act of escaping Kaz's forward lunge reached out and whacked the yautja's heel.

The yautja laughed with mandibles flared and tusks clicking.

"Very good!" he huffed out. "Again!"

It seemed like hours to Amelia before they finished sparring. Kaz had pushed her to the limit, increasing the speed and ferocity of his attacks until she felt once more like a novice against him.

The end came when she finally just collapsed on the floor with frustration.

"Damn it," she berated herself.

Amelia saw the quizzical look on Kaz's face. "I'm giving out to myself," she clarified. "I thought I was better than this."

"You are good. Hungry to be better. Good sign," he huffed before reaching down and helping her back to her feet.

He took the wooden pole from her hands and replaced it with his own on the rack.

* * *

"Why are you doing this?"

Kaz glanced over his shoulder at the nervous Amelia who'd finally worked up the courage to ask what had been on the front of her mind since he retrieved her.

"Not understand."

"Why are you helping me? Why are you doing all of this?"

"Come. Food," Kaz said bluntly as he skipped past the question. "Must prepare for the hunt."

Amelia's confidence fled as he simply abandoned her in the room and strode out before she could even process what he'd said.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **The Hunt**

The planet was vast, humid and as jungle covered as the others Amelia had been taken to. The journey here had taken many cycles of which she spent the majority of the time training with Kaz.

She still hadn't bested him but her confidence in her abilities soared.

Her master had now supplemented the move set that Hil-rak taught her with more difficult ones. He taught her that while knowing the move was important, making it your own was more so.

With Kaz's advice, Amelia become focused on how to make the moves work for her rather than learning them off. And through his teaching, she felt ready to take on the world.

Their sparring matches became far more intense and were far more closely matched than Amelia could scarcely believe.

He was proud of her. She could tell. And Amelia found herself craving his approval. She needed him to keep being proud, keep seeing her as something of value.

Shortly into their trip, Kaz had taken the step of installing translator chips directly into her auditory canals so Amelia could understand his language and those of other species they would come across. "It will be needed on the hunt," he'd reassured the nervous Amelia before the medical equipment sedated her.

* * *

Kaz had landed on the world almost immediately upon arrival to the system, finding the signal he wanted among the many and quickly located a spot on the vast world with two other yautja ships already there. As they descended, Amelia could see a number of other yautja already setting up camp on the beach while their ships were set in the shallow waters.

"A-me-lia," Kaz had muttered shortly after their own vessel had finally landed with a solid thud. "I have something to give you. Earned it. Come with me."

He led her to his rooms at the far end of the ship with a brisk pace, ignoring his communicator that beeped and chattered almost ceaselessly with incoming messages which Amelia guessed were the others on the beach.

"Here. For you."

Amelia gazed with wonder at the armor he'd laid out on a side table. It was very similar to Hil'rak's armor that she'd been privileged to view back at the mother-ship. It was made of a thicker fabric with no more than one inch of her body below the neck that would be uncovered.

"It's... great."

Kaz tilted his head quizzically. "Concern?"

Amelia gave him a wry smile. "It looks pretty humid outside. Not sure that I won't collapse from heatstroke."

"Ah. Breathable. Built in thermo-regulatory systems. You will not feel the environmental conditions."

He left her momentarily and stepped out as Amelia was holding the suit to herself. She was practically giddy which only worsened when Kaz returned bearing his last gift.

He offered it to her, watching with amusement as Amelia stared at it with wonder.

"Is... is it really for me?"

"Have earned it. You need a weapon for the hunt. Prepared you for this."

Amelia quickly put down the suit and reached out with shaking hands for the combistick that Kaz offered her.

"You must take care of it. Tend to it. Keep it operational."

"I don't have much experience in that."

Kaz chuckled with mandibles clicking together. "I will teach you once this hunt is over. Once you have proved yourself to the others. Get ready. We meet them shortly."

* * *

Amelia glanced at herself in strange shimmering and moving liquid that was a yautja mirror. The suit fit perfectly. She almost didn't recognize herself. Amelia had tied back her hair with a strap of leather before she'd taken a knife and hacked off the excess until what remained was merely reaching her shoulders.

Kaz had wandered in at that very moment and attempted to stop her until Amelia explained that it didn't hurt. That her hair was not the same as his dreads.

With combistick at her side and all the training that had gone into this, Amelia felt ready.

* * *

"Kaz'iliat!"

Her master led her down the gangway, waving with one hand at the bigger and red coloured yautja male who met them.

"Gur'kit! This is A-me-lia."

Amelia for her own part was taken aback by the massive yautja who barrelled towards her with fierce looking yellow eyes.

"Welcome, unblooded," Gur barked out with copious clicks and flickering mandibles. "Join the others on the beach. Biomask on."

She glanced at Kaz who nodded at her. Amelia carefully locked the imposing mask over her face, adjusting her eyes to the new view of the world it displayed before she left her master's side reluctantly.

A group of yautja – other unblooded hunters she guessed – were lined up on the sand as other experienced hunters reviewed their armor and weaponry.

One yautja with his own biomask on that left Amelia uneasy reviewed her gear.

"Only a combistick?" he finally muttered at her.

"Only needs it. She's strong. Will best your lot. First kill even."

Amelia and the inspecting yautja both turned to the newly arrived Kaz with Gur at his side.

"Her species don't tend to make first kills. Often are the first kills instead."

"She will best your lot," Kaz replied resolutely.

"Then what? She becomes blooded. You will make her the first in your clan?"

"That is Gur!" Kaz laughed before clapping his friend on the shoulder. "Two clan-leaders. Gur has found many others to come with us. A-me-lia will join once blooded. Are the _kiande amedha_ moving?"

The masked yautja snorted. "Hosts have birthed the first warriors. They are looking for their queen."

"Then we best start," Kaz said with a nod to Amelia. "We go hunt."

* * *

Amelia kept up with Kaz's longer stride after Gur said his goodbyes.

"I only know the theory behind tracking!" she said to Kaz once they were clear of the others.

"You will be fine. They will find you."

"But... the kiande amedha... Hil'rak told me about them. They're monsters!"

Kaz stopped and turned to Amelia. "And? We are what they fear. You must be like yautja. If they don't fear already then they learn to fear. You will teach them to."

"I don't know if-"

"You are ready! I will track you through the jungle. Trust your instincts."

Kaz suddenly vanished as he activated his cloak. He disappeared, leaving Amelia alone among the tall trees.

She gripped her combistick close at a distant and menacing screech started.

"Oh god..." she whimpered.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **Hard Meat**

Amelia was running fast but no matter what she did she could not lose the two black snarling beasts chasing her through the forest.

From glances she could make out the thin skeletal frame with long ridged tail that whipped around dangerously while the long oddly shaped head with no eyes but plenty of teeth that dripped with ooze seemed laser focused on every turn she made.

The initial fight on the ground had been tough. The first one had emerged like a ghost from the forest but luckily Amelia's biomask had alerted her before the creature had made it's move.

She'd dived sideways and swung back in an upward stroke that left a nasty gouge in the creature's side. The blood that spurted out burned everything in it's path to nothing.

The creature itself screeched and howled in pain, dragging a responding call from its partner to echo from the forest where it was still hidden.

Amelia had taken off at that point, desperate to reach the more defensible position she'd set-up shortly after Kaz had left her.

One of these things she'd just thought she could handle out in the wilds but two... well that required a bit more forethought.

Not that she could lose either of them. The pair now hounded her through the thick brush which Amelia ran headlong in to.

The cycles of training had worked wonders for her stamina as she pushed her legs to keep going at the pace it was. The main reason she was still alive was the head start she'd gotten and the fact she hadn't slowed.

Not that the two creatures were not eating into her lead with every second. Her mask began to beep in warning and displayed how close they were to her.

Amelia realized that they'd soon be within striking distance with those wicked tails of theirs.

* * *

To her eternal relief, the small thicket she'd set up came into view.

Amelia reached what was an innocuous enough leaf, threw herself over it in a dramatic roll before getting to her knees and readying her combistick.

The pair of _kiande amedha_ were immediately upon her and as the first touched off the leaf the trap she'd set earlier was sprung.

The screams from the creature were deafening as it was hauled up into the air by the hardened mesh netting. Its partner stopped in surprise, a rare moment of weakness before it realized its mistake.

Amelia charged with a roar and shoved her combistick clear through it's throat. She jiggled it slightly before managing to remove the _kiande amedha_ 's head entirely. It's blood spilled out messily to the floor, eating it's way through anything in it's path before finally it began an almost bottomless pit into which the blood flowed like a fountain.

Amelia took a moment to breath before glancing up at the creature howling in the net. She quickly took her combistick and rammed it into the bony protrusions that seemed to make up it's spine.

She ripped out her weapon then jammed it again, doing it over and over until the movement had ceased and only the acid blood poured from net that resisted it's touch only briefly before the entire thing collapsed and tossed the lifeless body to the ground.

* * *

She sank to her knees with relief. She'd thought it was all over when the second one had arrived.

But Hil'rak had thought her well in Kaz's absences and she'd make sure to buy her fellow human a drink once they got back to the mother-ship.

If she got back, Amelia thought darkly as more roars came from the canopy. She quickly got to her feet, weapon in hand to fight to her last breath as other _kiande amedha_ , drawn by the noise and smell, bore down on her in a frenzy.

"At least... at least I'd won," she muttered to herself before bracing to take on the seeming countless horde of black that approached.

Suddenly Kaz was there at her side. The yautja just seemed to emerge from the air itself with all the weaponry at his disposal ready.

His own more impressive armory opened fire at everything that moved. Amelia kept a watch on his six while Kaz's shoulder mounted plasma caster set the jungle ablase.

His wrist blades opened up as one stray creature got too close but found that instead it was Amelia who shoved her combistick straight into its head.

Before long the jungle was silent once more.

Amelia, covered in dirt, sweat and some of her own blood from the desperate fight earlier, had never been more happy to see her master.

"Killed three. Most impressive!" Kaz thrilled.

"I would have died if you hadn't shown up," she murmured before sitting on the dirt with a sigh.

"But you didn't. You were smart. Took on two _kiande amedha_ with only your wits and a combistick. Few yautja can say the same."

He lifted up the head of her first kill and handed it to her. "Your first trophy. Two more to go with it. Start to a fine collection."

Amelia took it from him and stared at the unsettling eyeless face that was in her hands.

"Master?"

"Yes, A-me-lia?"

"What becomes of me now?"

Kaz said nothing to that. Instead he got to work removing the last two heads of her kills and started to drag them and Amelia out of the jungle.

* * *

The beach was nearly empty by the time they arrived.

Only the giant Gur stood watch and from the many clicks and thrills he gave Amelia guessed he was pleased to see that they were the first out from the jungle.

"Three? Not a bad start, new blood."

Amelia nodded and bowed slightly before she attempted to start the long process of stripping the heads.

Kaz quickly realized what she intended on doing and stopped her. "Special way to clean these! Will show you. Leave them there and I'll-"

He came to a halt as another larger ship arrived to the planet high above them, booming loudly as it entered the atmosphere, before it started to descend.

Amelia glanced at Kaz. He clearly knew who owned the vessel from the way he openly snarled and his very skin prickled up.

"How did he find us?!" Kaz roared to Gur who turned his attentions back to the fire.

"You best speak with him."

"A-me-lia!" Kaz suddenly barked.

"Yes, master?"

"You stay here. You do not leave Gur's side. Understand?"

Amelia, who really didn't have any idea what was going on, merely nodded her agreement before watching Kaz stride away to the now landing ship further up the beach.

* * *

"Come. Sit by fire. This will take time."

She glanced at Gur who hadn't looked away from the flames. Amelia sat down cross-legged before it, grateful for the feeling of security she had here in this little cove surrounded by the yautja's many defensive weaponry. No _kiande amedha_ would be straying into camp here.

"Who has come to visit?" Amelia finally asked the hulking yautja.

"Kaz's sire. Best you stay away from this. Stick with me. Do as I say."

"But-"

"But nothing. Promised Kaz I'd make sure you were safe. He can take care of himself."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **Ancient**

"He's been gone a long time."

Amelia hesitantly broached the subject of Kaz who'd been gone hours it seemed. The dimmer star of the twin suns that this world circled around had gone down with it's partner currently descending too. They'd both been high in the sky when Kaz had left them.

"He'll be back when he can," Gur replied, growling his answer as though more convincing himself.

Amelia numbly went back to staring at the fire while hugging her knees to herself where she sat on the dry sand. She idly wiggled her bare toes in it, recalling with a sigh her childhood and the memories of doing this on a very different world with only humans as company.

"Known him a long time," Gur said almost to himself after a few minutes of silence. "Kaz would not abandon you, _ooman_. Or me. He's loyal. Strong and loyal."

Amelia at that very moment sensed a gap in Gur's wall of silence and went for it as she asked almost timidly, "How do you know each other?"

"We were pups together on a world far from here. He's my brother by ties stronger than blood."

"Do... do you know why he doesn't like his father?" Amelia carefully probed, hoping that Gur would keep up the information flow.

Gur chuffed with copious amounts of mandible clicking. "Very _ooman_ ," he rumbled.

Amelia blanched. "I didn't mean any offense and-"

"No. The question you asked. Very _ooman_. I know why he hates him. Betrayer."

"Betrayer?"

* * *

Gur shifted uncomfortably in his seat before turning his own vibrant yellow eyes away from the fire and out across the waterline. The waves that rolled across the bay that sheltered them were a constant soothing noise in the background, only being broken by the screeches that would emerge infrequently from the jungle around them.

"He left them. He left them all. Took us pups. Abandoned that world and the others."

"Was Kaz's mother-"

"Left. He left her. Left her to the _kiande amedha_. We saw the bombing from the ship in orbit. They destroyed that world. No survivors of either _ooman_ or _kiande amedha_."

" _Ooman_?"

Gur remained silent and Amelia quickly realized that the conversation was over.

They sat in silence for hours more it seemed. The suns were now long gone but the fire that Gur kept well stocked roared on and warmed Amelia's bones and gave some comfort from the dark that surrounded them. Eventually Amelia got her blankets and curled up to rest, her heart numb with Kaz's absence.

* * *

She dreamed.

Dreamed of what Gur had said, of a little yautja pup with beautiful amber eyes and his friend with brilliant yellow. Her heart saddened by the thought of them both watching as the world of their birth was destroyed.

She dreamed of wonderfully strong yautja mothers standing tall and holding their own against the incoming horde around them even as the fire rained down from the sky.

When she finally awoke fitfully from her sleep, Amelia found herself surrounded by strange yautja she didn't know. The camp was full of them.  
Before she could scramble in panic to her feet, a large hand landed on her chest and pushed her back down.

Gur was crouched at her side. He motioned her to remaining lying down as he stayed watchful of the others.

That's when she spotted him. Her master. Her heart leapt back into life at the sight of him standing unharmed and as defiant as he always was.

He was glaring at an older yautja, one adorned in the trappings of status and emblems of his long life. The similarities between them was clear. This was his sire. She also knew immediately what he was.

An Ancient.

His very body betrayed that status. Grey dreads, skin covered with wispy hair like spikes and old battle scars. The Ancient kept his eyes locked on the young yautja he'd spawned with Kaz roaring something she couldn't quite make out at him in defiance.

She was suddenly intensely relieved for Gur's presence and his now comforting pressure to keep her lying still.

Just when she thought that the stalemate would last forever, Kaz's sire backed off. He glanced at her, staring into her wide frightened eyes before he turned and made his way back to his vessel in silence.

* * *

Gur kept her down to the ground with his unseen hand, crouched and ready for something as those around them joined their leader on his journey back to his ship.

When they'd all passed from view, Gur finally let her up.

"Kaz!" she blurted out in a rush before scrambling across the distance to him.

Her master for his part seemed bemused by her reaction and allowed her to wrap her arms around him. Amelia realized that this was more for her comfort that his own.

"The others?" Kaz asked Gur over Amelia's head where she was wrapped around him tightly.

"Still hunting. No losses yet. All have made their kills. The serpents have also found their Queen but not an entrance in to the chamber."

"Ah. Recall the others. We will need to destroy what remains before the next hunters arrive. Would not like to have to explain it if we lose the queen."

Gur's heavy footsteps thudded away from them, leaving Kaz who patted Amelia's head where she had it pressed against his abdomen.

"A-me-lia, you must return to the ship now. I will show you how to clean your trophies before I go hunt."

She didn't reply to him, instead clutching him tighter to herself which caused Kaz alarm.

"We must go. Now, _Yeyinde_."

He pryed her arms off him and pushed her back gently.

"Sorry," she mumbled, keeping her eyes on the ground. Before Kaz could say or do anything, Amelia suddenly bolted to where her trophies where wrapped up and started dragging them back to the ship.

Kaz could only follow after her, puzzled at her reaction but realizing that perhaps this was not the best time to explore it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **Blooded**

Amelia admired although glumly the three highly polished and smooth skulls that made up the first additions to her collection.  
She ran her slim fingers across their strange shape and odd ridges, marveling at the fact that just a few hours before these same bones were covered in the burning flesh of the _k_ _ainde amedha_.  
Unfortunately Amelia was also the only one admiring and pondering on the oblong skulls.  
Kaz and Gur had left her in the safety of the vessel hours before while they went purging the jungle of the last of the hissing snarling beasts that had been her first trial.

The other unblooded who'd also been tested with Amelia had each passed their own hunts and returned with multiple kills each - all besting Amelia in quantity although she was still the first to get a kill. For their trouble, they were all walking wounded and were being treated for injuries that ranged from burns to one particularly serious case of being impaled by the spiked tail.

* * *

Amelia sighed with worry before abandoning her trophies and seeking out something to keep her occupied.  
The source of her worry were still absent. Kaz and Gur had been gone for quite awhile now.  
She hadn't been concerned at the start considering how much weaponry the yautja loaded up with. They'd stalked away into the jungle with Kaz telling her to get back inside and keep the ship locked down. They'd been so confident and yet here she was hours later and still alone.

Amelia had busied herself at the beginning with tidying or training. The place was cleaner than she'd ever managed to get it before with even every skull in Kaz's collection polished and shining pristine.  
It was soon followed up by cleaning her trophies and then practically furniture arranging every room on the ship. She was sure that Kaz would have a few words for her regarding the changes she'd made but if she didn't do something she'd lose her mind with worry. She could deal with his anger. As long as he came back.

Eventually there was nothing left to clean. Nothing left to go over. So she sat and waited.

* * *

When the doors of the vessel finally opened and her master stepped back inside looking as healthy as he had been upon leaving, Amelia could only start laughing almost hysterically before rushing to help him unload the heavy weaponry he wore.  
Kaz for his part was very patient with her, his eyes watching her closely as she eagerly aided him.

"Did you get them all?" Amelia asked as she carried his plasma caster while practically running ahead of him down the dimly lit corridor to the armory.

"The _k_ _ainde amedha_ have been dealt with. Their queen will remain where she is."

"That's a little... sad actually," she replied while carefully laying the weapon down on its rack, leaving it to Kaz to tend to its maintenance.

"She lives," her master chuffed at her.

"But is it living really? To be used like that?"

Kaz turned to her with a look that left her chilled to the bone. "She deserves death not life. If I had my preference I'd be carrying her head back to this ship. But that is forbidden. So instead we will purge her children before her again and again."

Amelia shut up quickly at his words. She paled a little and, instead of replying, she merely nodded at him.

"Go, A-me-lia. Leave me to my thoughts. I'm not good company right now," he growled before sinking down to his knees.

"Yes, master."

She slipped out, hovering in the hallway as her master sat cross-legged on the floor of the armory deep in thought.

The door slid shut.

* * *

It was only when Gur arrived shortly after that Amelia felt a little more at ease. Unfortunately it didn't last long.  
Amelia had greeted the other yautja eagerly, hoping that perhaps he would be the one to shed light on what was wrong with her master.  
However Gur kept his friend's secrets and merely set about getting Kaz's vessel airborne and back into the void of space.

"But what about Kaz?"

"What about him?" Gur rumbled while his fingers skimmed the console with lightning quick ease as he activated the engines.

"He's-"

"Mediating. Finding his center."

"You're stealing his ship!"

Gur let out an amused clicking at that. "Stealing a ship while the owner is within it? You oomans have strange ideas."

Amelia blanched. "I just... you're just taking it! That's normally called theft!"

"Kaz asked me to travel with you. Must go back to mother-ship. Complete last ceremonies before finally marked as clan-leaders. Now you are blooded too. Must have it all recognized."

She sank into a chair near him, watching fascinated as the blue sky faded into the darkness of space.

"Gur?" she finally ventured to ask the yautja who was fixated on the console in front of him.

Gur merely grunted, "Hmm?"

"Is Kaz okay?"

"I noted no injuries or complaints."

"No. I mean... he's locked himself away from us."

Gur didn't look up from his work deciphering the various equations needed to plot a course back to the mother-ship. "Meeting his sire was difficult. Always causes strife. Kaz'iliat strong but prone to being rash. He knows his weakness so strives to overcome it."

"Oh..."

* * *

After sitting in a quiet peace with Gur for a time, the yautja tactfully ignoring the concern and fear that was practically bleeding from her pores, Amelia finally felt tired enough to rest.

She said a soft goodbye before making her way quietly to her room. As she passed the armory, Amelia pressed her head to the door and hoped that perhaps she'd hear something from within. She was met with silence.

With reluctance, she slipped away and into her room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the feedback and reviews! :) It's really appreciated! And as a sidenote, the below story point is way more complicated than what it currently seems! :)  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **Strange Truths**

Amelia had woken from her fitful sleep filled with a new purpose to demand answers of Kaz.

What Gur had said went around in circles in her mind. She was blooded now. And that meant she was no longer a slave.

However the courage to actually do what she had determined was needed had not come easily to Amelia.

She'd paced back and forth for at least an hour, working herself up into enough of a temper to go out there and confront Kaz.

Amelia was practically snarling when she finally barged out of the room, pushing aside the mildly amused Gur who was merely passing her by in the corridor as she thumped her way to the armory.

Amelia took only one steadying breath before she burst in ready to finally have it out with Kaz at long last when she was completely deflated by the fact he wasn't in there.

"A-me-lia?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin at Kaz's deep voice, low and steady, that rumbled behind her.

"I thought you were still in here."

He tilted his head, clearly seeing her heightened emotional state. "You are angry."

"I am. And I'm no longer a slave!"

To Amelia's surprise, Kaz simply replied "Indeed you are not. Do you wish to go home?"

* * *

She was stumped.

With the simplest of questions, Kaz had almost completely stripped her of the anger she'd built up and instead had thrown her into the strangest combination of fear and confusion that caused her stomach to flip.

"Home?"

"Yes. Earth. The _ooman_ home-world. Do you wish to return home? If that is what you want, I will ensure that we go there immediately."

She blinked, completely taken aback.

"You've earned your freedom. My sire... my sire made that point clear. You have earned the right to choose. To stay or go."

"Do I only get this one chance? To go home I mean," she asked numbly.

"No. You can choose at any point. But it must be told to you right now. I should have said it before we left the reserve world."

Amelia blinked. "If I stayed, could I remain with you?"

Kaz flickered his mandibles in a strange move she'd never seen before. "If that is what you want."

"What do you want?"

"Whatever you desire."

Amelia shook her head. "That's not an answer."

"It is not my place to tell a blooded female what to do."

"I'd like to know why you did this! All of this! I was a slave. Your slave! And you made me... you made me free."

Kaz stared at her intently with an odd look in his amber eyes before silently turning and walking away. He was refusing to answer the question once more.

"HEY! Get back here!" Amelia shouted as she ran after him.

"You don't get t0 - ugh!"

Amelia's breath escaped her lungs as Gur grabbed her shoulder and yanked her backwards.

"Calm. We go train. Vent that anger."

"I want answers!" she hissed at the hulking yautja who'd allowed his friend to escape the wrath of the smaller ooman.

"No answers will ever be enough while you are angry. Come. Want to see if you are as good as Hil'rak says."

He stalked away with Amelia now having her full attention on him.

"You know Hil'rak? Hey! You don't get to run away too! Get back here Gur!"

* * *

To Amelia's surprise and upset, Kaz avoided her actively for the rest of the journey back to the mother-ship.

Gur became instead her only conversation partner, often provoking her into training bouts that would leave her winded and bruised but also grateful to the yautja for allowing her a vent for her emotions.

She'd strangely come to view the yautja like a gentle giant.

While he was clearly stronger than her in excessive amounts, he also kept his hits to a level that matched her while tolerating the harder strikes she'd manage to land without resorting to retaliation.

He seemed to understand the gulf that had risen between Amelia and Kaz but refused to divulge what he knew to the smaller ooman.

Gur kept his thoughts to himself.

* * *

Amelia had never been more relieved when she saw a familiar face waiting for them at the dock as they finally arrived home.

Hil'rak grinned and embraced her tightly. "Congrats. I never doubted it for a second."

"Thank you," Amelia breathed out awkwardly as her ribs was squeezed a little too tightly by the older woman.

When Hil'rak finally let her go, Amelia was surprised as the Adjudicator turned her attention to Gur.

"Gur!" Hil'rak chuckled. "Oh, my baby! Look at you!"

The yautja bent himself lower to allow Hil'rak to hug him tightly.

"Are you eating enough? I don't like this scar you have here. You didn't tell me about it!"

"Not important," Gur huffed.

"Don't you dare start hiding things from me, young man! But... it can wait I think. Let's get home. I have dinner ready."

Hil'rak turned to Amelia with a broad grin. "Joining us?"

"I'm not sure. I think I should wait for Kaz..."

"He'll make his own way. Come. Let's get you both settled in. I know what it's like to survive on those god awful rations for a few weeks."

* * *

She sat with Hil'rak in her living room, cup of tea in hand, as though she'd never left.

Gur had eaten practically everything that Hil'rak had put on the table in front of him and then moved to what remained in the kitchen. He was now snorting on a couch with a blanket that Hil'rak had draped over him.

"Would you believe that it's been 404 years since I had Gur? The time just flies by."

Amelia raised a brow at that. "Had?"

"He's my pup," Hil'rak said in a vaguely dreamlike way. "My first pup. Oh I remember when he was so small that I could just swaddle him almost with my hands alone. His father was not quite as certain about him. For some reason he thought he should have been bigger."

"Did you adopt him?"

"Ohhhhhhhhh..." the older woman said with a dawning clarity as she turned her gaze away from the snoring yautja and fixed it instead on the confused Amelia. "You don't know still. He never told you."

"Told me what?"

"About his mother. His human mother."

Amelia blinked. "What?"

"Kaz's mother was human. My sister in fact."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **LV-1095**

It's one of the few memories that remain so vivid in my mind. So bright that I can close my eyes and see it all play out as if I'm there again.  
She'd been so excited the day we signed up. The great new expedition from Weyland-Yutani. Be part of the adventure they said. When we left the office after signing the paperwork, Clara had grabbed my hand and we'd spun around like children under the rain. We went home soaking wet!  
Couldn't have imagined what would become of us then. The future had seemed so bright.

Our parents were struggling with four other kids to fed besides us with my father's poor wage for clerking at the local shipping depot to sustain us all. Becoming part of a colonial mission was the best option open to us. Our family would get money for our sacrifice and we'd be fed and trained for a whole new colonial life.

LV-1095 they called it. A new Eden thousands of light-years away, the posters proclaimed. It would take generations to get there so we had to cryo-sleep knowing that when we next woke it would be to a future in which everything we'd ever known would be gone.

Clara had been so excited when we woke and LV-1095 was just outside our window. That world was everything they said it was and horribly more.  
What none of us knew was that it was a yautja reserve planet. Just like the one you went to. By the time we'd landed and started the hard work of clearing the jungle for our new colony, the yautja had seen us and started to hunt. We had no idea. Just stupid naive children.

Then the solar storm started. It swallowed that system whole. All of our technology except those heavily protected stopped working. Electrical storms raged constantly. Our Eden became a hell. The yautja were also now trapped. They'd been caught off guard and were forced to land their ships to protect them, They were now stuck with us on that world.

Kaz's sire is called Jul'uk. An Ancient with a life already lived that spanned thousands of years more than any of us. He had the misfortune of being on LV-1095 at the time and had called a halt to the hunt. He'd been through something similar before and realized that the storm could take decades to pass.  
Not only that, he had under his command a small army of young hot tempered and now blooded young yautja he'd need to keep distracted. If they killed us all then there would be little for them to do while they waited out the storm.

They started an uneasy alliance with us with a very difficult beginning. Being confronted by their sheer strangeness in comparison to us was life changing.  
But we eventually got over the shock and started to trade. It was all simple stuff really. We'd trade essentials while they always wanted components to repair their weaponry. Food was always a priority for us and they were all superior hunters.

* * *

I think it was in our 12th year that Jul'uk came personally to our colony with a different demand.

He needed women. I know what you are thinking. Can see it written all over your face. It wasn't quite like that.  
His warriors were becoming more irate, almost uncontrollable and he knew why.  
Usually by this stage they'd have mated and have pups with many different mates running around. They'd be regularly interacting with their community on the mother-ship. Forming such disparate families such as yautjas do help move young yautja males from their adolescence to adulthood.

So Jul'uk need females and needed them quickly otherwise when the storm passed no one would be leaving the planet alive.

The yautja, although they don't look it, are actually quite skilled in bio-mechanics - a fact we learned from them when they came to trade.

In exchange for young healthy human females who would undergo a conversion process, they'd provide food and some protection for the colony until the storm had passed.  
We were volunteered along with 20 others by the rest of the colonists to go with the yautja. I hadn't wanted to. I was terrified. So was Clara and yet we had no choice.  
We were the only ones unattached and were duly sacrificed for the greater community.

* * *

I know I don't look it but I'm more yautja than human now.

My body beneath this gown is covered in the thick skin of a yautja. Even just here at my neck you can see it. At least I kept my face. I doubt I'd still be here if that had been changed too.  
My entire internal organ system, my blood, my very DNA has been warped into a yautja's. Everythign about me has been changed and made to be like them.

Before you ask, it was a retro virus. And god it hurt. It hurt more than I can say. It felt like they were burning me up from the inside and twisting everything around. They'd just strapped me down to a table and injected it into me. And all that pain flooded in. I had wanted to die. The process itself took days to complete and I can only remember faint glimpses of it. It was torture and it was all just I would be able to mate with and bear pups for them.  
I often have to remind myself that it wasn't all bad. In exchange for all that pain, I gained their strengths including my long life. We all gained the same.

And eventually I had my Gur and his siblings. That too took time. We realized shortly after the change that we had the power over these huge and violent hunters. To them although we looked odd we smelled and felt like yautja women. And the desire to keep us happy was overwhelming to them.  
Jul'uk didn't know what hit him when we banded together and gave him our own demands! Ha! Thinking back on it now it's so amusing.

We demanded that they would select one of us only for mating purposes. We needed support for food and resources. They didn't quite understand that concept but acquiesced. Considering how desperate the young bloods were on that world when we emerged from the transformation being essentially yautja females it was hardly surprising. I think if we'd asked them for their ships themselves they'd have given them to us.

* * *

My sister didn't quite emerge the same as me.

The process had nearly crippled her. The virus had left her with a rare side-effect that even the yautja had no cure for. Her body struggled to process enough energy for her to even walk from one side of camp to another without needing to sit down.  
She'd become weaker and so, as is the yautja way, was discarded by the others. Harsh I know but as I've come to realize over these long years that the yautja don't deal with weakness. They seek strength.

But Jul'uk didn't completely abandon her.

Clara's condition was more or less his fault and in a rare moment for a yautja – let alone an Ancient – he felt honor bound to mitigate this mistake as much as possible.

So he kept her with him. She'd only be fed from the success of his hunts, clothed from what he skinned and tended to by him or myself when illness threatened.

I think that's when she started to care for him more than what she should have. I mean she hated the yautja. Hated how they looked, hated their smell and their ability to slaughter without remorse. She hated that they'd stolen her life from her.

And here was this old yautja who kept her alive and in comfort when really he should have euthanized her.

* * *

I don't pretend to know when they started being intimate with each other. I just know the day she gave birth to Kaz and the joy she had when she first held him. Joy I never thought she'd have to be honest. As hard as this is to say, I know that if she hadn't loved Jul'uk in some way that she'd have throttled that baby as soon as it was born. That's how vehement her hatred of the yautja was. And yet I was there on that day looking at my sister holding a little pure yautja pup as though he was her whole life.

Jul'uk remained with her, tending now to both Clara and their pup with his usual stoicism. I think he sort of enjoyed it. Males don't generally play an active part in anything other than the creation of their pups and here was one of the oldest of his kind tending to his youngest child. He'd never had as much contact with any of his children as he had with Kaz.

He'd cared for him as a newborn, amused and tolerated him with he was just a young curious pup and then... well, after everything went wrong, he still tended to him even as Kaz hated him with all his heart. God.

* * *

Hil'rak stopped her tale and stared into her cup now empty of tea.

"Hil'rak? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just... thinking of those days can be heart-scalding."

"What happened? To LV-1095? What happened to Clara?"

Hil'rak had just started to finish her story when the main door opened suddenly, scaring both of them with its abruptness, and a tall shadowy figure stepped in.

"Kaz'iliat?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **Secrets**

"That's not Kaz, young one," Hil'rak muttered before getting to her feet and bowing. "Welcome, Jul'uk. It's been a long time since you've graced my home with your presence."

Amelia nearly jolted from her seat and quickly mimicked Hil'rak's show of respect to the now clearly visible Ancient she'd seen on that far planet.

There came a pause, an awkward silence in which Jul'uk's aged amber eyes stared at them all in turn, alighting only on the sleeping Gur when the yautja made a loud snort in his sleep.

"Your pup appears fine and healthy, Hil'rak," Jul rumbled.

"As if there was ever any doubt of that result considering who his father is," Hil'rak replied with good humor. "What brings you to my home, Jul'uk?"

"My own pup. He resists my summons. I had hoped to find him hiding away with you as he typically does."

"I'm afraid Kaz has not yet arrived."

"And is he expected to?"

Hil'rak shrugged. "I imagine he'll come to collect young Amelia here."

"I see."

* * *

She would have berated Hil'rak for turning the spotlight on her but could barely bring herself to breath normally as the Ancient's imposing gaze focused itself on her once more.

"My son had possession of you as a slave and now you are free," Jul'uk stated simply. "Are you aware of the situation you are now in, _ooman_? Of the choice you now have before you?"

"He... he said I could leave if I wished."

"And your choice?"

"I choose to stay, my lord."

She quickly averted her gaze but could still almost feel his intense stare lighting up her body.

"I'm most interested to hear why you have come to that decision?"

Amelia rattled through her brain and could find... nothing. There were so many reasons to leave, to take the opportunity but she couldn't think of any.

The real reason was behind a terrifying curtain in her mind, obscured but tugging that the tenderest of her heartstrings.

She wasn't ready to see what lay behind it.

* * *

Luckily for her, Hil'rak decided to intervene. "That's none of your business. I don't remember anyone prodding you regarding your decision to raise and train Kaz to his adulthood yourself. Goes against every yautja custom and yet you did it."

Jul'uk's attention was now fully on Hil'rak. "I imagine you had some part to play in this little farce. You are an exception and not the rule as a _ooman_ hunter, Hil'rak."

"Well you made me what I am today, Jul'uk. I should thank you for it. As would Clara but I do believe she's not capable of that anymore."

Amelia watched the Ancient's mandibles flicker. He was angry but containing it behind an impassive front.

"When Kaz'iliat returns, I expect you to send him to me," Jul'uk replied in a careful monotone.

"Of course."

Shortly after he made his exit, Amelia finally took in a deep breath that her lungs had been gasping for.

"Holy shit Hil'rak!"

"Oh don't be so worried. He looks worse than what he is."

"But he's-"

"He's Kaz's father. Do you fear Kaz?"

"No but-"

"But nothing. They are very much the same in looks and personality. What you see in Kaz is also in Jul'uk. Just remember that."

* * *

Amelia sank back into her seat. "What you were saying about LV1095 and Clara... is that why they've parted ways from each other?"

Hil'rak followed the younger woman's lead and reseated herself comfortably in her chair. "Kaz has never been able to speak to his father of Clara. You may have noticed how Jul'uk shut down any further discussion of Clara there. It's a handy way to shut him up. It's just... Kaz wished to know what became of his mother and Jul'uk has apparently no intention of ever telling him or even me in fact."

"What actually happened to LV1095?"

"One of the colonists – a lovely sweet man called Jack - discovered the yautja's secret under the planet's surface. A _kiande amedha_ queen. He became the first host. The queen was set free and the LV1095 colony was overrun. Jul'uk forced us to leave."

"Forced?"

"Many of the yautja wished to stay and hunt but Jul'uk was firm. The pups had to be taken off world to safety in spite of the storm ravaging the system with us human converts in tow before any hunt could be sanctioned."

"And Clara?"

"Left behind. I don't know what happened. I just know that Jul'uk arrived without her and a distraught Kaz with him. Even Kaz doesn't know what happened. They'd been rushing to reach the ships and then suddenly she was gone. Jul'uk appeared and took him to the vessel."

Amelia pondered for a moment. "If a hunt could be sanctioned then why did they destroy the planet?"

"Destroy? Oh... no they didn't destroy it. They purged it of life. Fire from the sky. There was more in those ruins that poor Jack discovered than the _kiande amedha_ queen. The yautja purged everything in case other humans arrived."

"What was-"

Hil'rak raised a hand quickly to silence the question Amelia was about to ask.

"You don't need to know. Just trust me when I say they made a terrible but right decision."

* * *

They sat in silence for a time, both simply enjoying the warmth and the strangely comforting rhytimcal snores of GUr on the sofa.

"Hi'rak?" Amelia finally asked.

"yes, young one?"

"Why did Kaz do all of this for me?"

Hil'rak peered at her oddly before getting awkwardly to her feet. She rummaged around through an old closet before finding a photo. She handed it wordlessly to Amelia who paled a little.

"This is?"

"Me. And Clara."

Amelia gazed down at the two young women in the photo. Both vibrant and young, full of the joys of life. Hil'rak with her dark hair and even darker eyes. And there was Clara. Her hair was the palest blonde with a pair of beautiful blue eyes that was lit up with her laughter.

"She looks like..."

"You."


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews, etc! Apologies for the delay with this chapter but lots going on in RL. Hopefully I can get more updates to this now with everything have calmed somewhat!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

 **Kaz'iliat**

Amelia felt numb as she stared at the happy youthful faces that gazed back at her from the flimsy image in her hand.

Before she could find it within herself to actually speak the vague words and sentences forming in her mind to Hil'rak who she knew was staring at her just as intently, it was another voice that took her by surprise.

"It's not what you think."

Gur had woken up and spotted what to him was a familiar scrap of his mother's history in Amelia's hand.

The yautja's gaze was firmly locked on it and he'd clearly also noticed the faint tremble that ran through Amelia's hand as she held it tightly.

"Gur... just-" Hil'rak began.

"No. You've done enough," Gur snapped at his mother before turning his attention to the young human still dumbstruck at all the revelations. "Not what you think, A-me-lia. Kaz will be here soon. Or if you can't wait then go to him. Let him speak."

"Gur-"

"Mi-di! Enough!" he said to his mother once more. "Enough..."

With a grave and solemn look on his strangely expressive face, Gur turned to Amelia and stated simply, "Go to him."

"To Kaz?"

The tall yautja nodded. "Go and speak. You will find your answers only with him."

* * *

She doubted she'd ever run as fast as she had through the vast mother-ship, ignoring the bemused gazes of other yaut as she passed them by at speed.

None chased her, the collar around her slim neck made sure of that. It somewhat assured her safe and unhindered passage back to where Kaz's ship lay docked.

After a few desperate moments attempting to figure out the strange symbols, she finally managed to activate the dock door and pass the myriad security systems in the small antechamber unharmed.

Once through, Amelia slipped in the main hatch quietly with her nerves on high alert in the almost silent vessel. She took a deep calming breath, exhaling it out just as she reached his chamber.

The door opened without any delay and let her pass into his private quarters.

He sat cross legged on the floor with his head bowed with the weight of the ponderous thoughts in his head.

Kaz was so deep in his trance that he didn't notice Amelia's arrival until she sat in a similar position just in front of him.

"A-me-lia," he mumbled, clearly about start speaking about one thing or another.

"I saw your mother," Amelia blurted out. "She was very beautiful. You... you don't really look too much like her."

To Amelia's disappointment he didn't react at all to her soft words. "No. But then I wouldn't. Often been told that I'm a yautja made in the image of my sire. My many half siblings are apparently the same. Or so they say."

Amelia nodded a little at that, attempting to see any flicker of emotion on Kaz's face. "He's looking for you by the way. Seemed worried."

Kaz merely snorted in response as he gave nothing about his frame of mind away.

"I mean it. He's worried. It means something that I who finds it hard most of the time to read yautja body language can see that concern written all over him when he came to visit."

"Visit?"

"Hil'rak's place. He thought he might find you there."

Kaz fell into silence then, clearly pondering deeply what she said to him.

However Amelia wasn't about to let him escape into his mind when she had questions that needed answering.

"I look like her. Well, same hair really. And eyes. Is that why you freed me?"

"No. I saw you. At the slave market with Lut' ip. Saw your hair in the crowd. Remembered her through it."

"Lut'ip was my first master..."

"You were the first _ooman_ on the mother-ship in decades. Knew from other _oomans_ that your hair colour was rare. Sparked my interest."

Amelia stayed silent, watching the yautja who spoke with eyes locked on the dark grey floor.

"Felt... anger on your behalf in time. You did everything asked of you but Lut'ip was a cruel master. He beat you once. Then never again."

That simple statement stumped Amelia. Kaz had clearly been paying a lot of attention of her for longer than she'd thought. "That's because he sold me. I was useless to him," she replied carefully.

"No. I made him give you up. To Kor'lop. Then to Hig'pu. Then Kao'uk."

Amelia frowned. "You were directing it?"

"Moving you. Was not in a position to keep you myself so..."

"You made them do it instead."

* * *

Kaz finally lifted his eyes up to meet hers.

"Yei'i. Until I had a vessel of my own. Until I was ready to keep you. Not because of my mother. Because saw you had a spark that would die if left to the others. My sire-"

He shut up rapidly, the mere mention of Jul'uk causing whatever thoughts that had been running through his head before Amelia arrived to push themselves to the forefront of his mind.

Amelia slowly moved onto her knees and shuffled forward until she was practically on top of him.

Kaz's eyes peered at her intently with mandibles flickering.

"What about Jul'uk?"

Deep amber eyes flecked with red stared at her. "Taught me to respect things other than physical strength. Taught me of my mother. Jul'uk would be ashamed of me if I had not tried to help you."

"You didn't need to do this at all."

"Had to. First for a memory. Then had to... save you for you. So you didn't die inside."

Amelia didn't know what to say to that so instead did something both incredibly natural to her and yet idiotic as she would remind herself later. Amelia slipped her arms around his far too thick and wide neck and hugged him as best she could.

Even as her gentle hands touched his warm flesh as they enveloped his neck, she could feel the muscles tighten as he stopped the natural yautja reaction to defend himself.

"You saved me, Kaz. Thank you." She pulled back and smiled. "Gur told me that you didn't get along with your sire but I'm not so sure."

"Disagree with him mostly. And others think I've made him soft. Think that I'm soft by his... preference."

"You mean that he tends to you and not his other pups. But they all stand aside for you when you go anywhere. That means something... right?"

Kaz chuffed. "Jul'uk casts long shadow. He wishes you to leave. Doesn't believe you belong."

Amelia's heart froze, all blood draining from her heart. "He's sort of right. I guess."

"Mi'di. No. You belong where you decide to belong."

"Do you want me to stay? With this new clan starting up and, well, maybe Hil'rak is right. Maybe I should stay with her. What do you think?"

Kaz without missing a beat replied, "I wish you to stay with me."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

 **Tok'sur**

"Have you found many that will go with you?" Hil'rak inquired politely as Gur tore into another piece of the almost bleeding raw meat she'd served the two large yautja as breakfast. She joined Amelia in eating a decidedly more cooked version that was in smaller portions for easier consumption.

"Enough will," Kaz replied with mandibles clicking. "The pure will not go. But others born like as us on K'kstu have agreed."

"You are pure," his aunt replied softly while she fiddled a chunk of meat on her plate.

It was her own grown-up pup that answered her simply stated fact with a low growl. "Not to them. But we will show them. Make a strong clan. Make them see."

Hil'rak sighed with resignation, knowing that arguing with the pair was not going to get her anywhere. Instead she broached a different topic.

"Tok'sur will return soon," she directed at Gur. "Will you stay long enough to see him? He wishes to speak with you. I know you haven't been replying to his messages."

Gur grunted as an answer while he stuffed his face full of more meat.

"I won't be caught up as the messenger between you two," she warned, not liking his non-reply. "You will speak to your father, Gur."

"He returns only to get you in pup," was his snarky answer which earned Gur a rap on his massive skull from the knuckles on Hil'rak's clenched fist.

"You're not in a position to complain about that. Considering you and your other siblings are here because of it."

Gur's throat erupted in growls and clicks that spelled out his displeasure but he made no move to do anything other than continue eating his meal.

Hil'rak in her silent rage started clearing what she could from the table before stalking off to the kitchen.

* * *

"You should make amends."

Amelia glanced at Kaz who'd fixed his amber eyes on his cousin across from him.

Gur for his part didn't look up, choosing instead to ignore the comment and therefore ignore Kaz who didn't like that aspect one bit.

"GUR!" Kaz suddenly roared as he leapt up onto his feet and knocked the plate of food Gur had been eating from his grip and down onto the floor with a loud clatter.

Amelia quickly backed away as the two yautja started alternatively shouting and then clicking at each other with only the metal table as a barrier.

It was Gur who finally leapt the table itself and the argument turned into an all out brawl. Amelia dashed out the door, relived to escape the violence.

That relief however was short-lived as the squabbling pair mid-fight rolled out after her.

While Kaz was trading some violent and almost bone-shattering punches with Gur, Amelia took an opportunity that presented itself and bolted across the room and found Hil'rak's shock prod.

Amelia had been on the receiving end of it more than once during her training, albeit at a lower setting. She yanked it free of its holder, switched it on and rushed back to the fight.

With no hesitation, Amelia shoved the rod down onto Kaz's hand which was digging it's claws into Gur's flesh. The shock arced from yautja to yautja, both feeling the pain of it.

With copious snarls and even a surprised squeal from one, the yautja split apart.

* * *

"Grow up!" Amelia snapped at the pair who peered at her oddly. "I'm warning you both! I'll use this again if I have to!"

Kaz tilted his head and stared at her, his thick tentacle dreads falling to one side as he did so, while Gur merely grumbled something incomprehensible to himself.

"Clean up in there! You've made a mess inside!" Amelia shouted, suddenly feeling stronger than she had in years. She briefly thought that maybe she'd pushed it to far as they both stared at her with an odd look she'd never seen before.

Suddenly... they got to their feet and wandered back to the room it had all started in and began to tidy. No arguments. No disagreements. They just accepted what she said. Amelia was dumbfounded.

"Everything alright? I thought I heard them fighting," Hil'rak queried Amelia as she arrived to the young woman's side.

"It's fine. I, ahem... I sorted it."

"Is that my shock prod?"

Amelia glanced at the weapon tightly gripped in her hands before she sheepishly handed back to Hil'rak. "Sorry."

"For?"

"Using it without permission."

"I wouldn't worry about that. The boys?"

Amelia shrugged. "They're tidying up."

Just as she spoke, Gur and Kaz emerged from the room carrying a pile of plates and the remnants of a broken chair.

"Hil'rak. Will get you new one," Kaz muttered gently as he headed past her with the broken chair while Gur came to a stop in front of his mother.

"..."

"Yes Gur?" Hil'rak queried politely, not fazed by his strained silence.

"... sorry."

Hil'rak beamed. She gently reached out and started scratching a little spot on the side of Gur's head hidden by dreads. He started rumbling a contented purr almost immediately.

"Thank you. Your father messaged. He'll be back earlier than planned. Tomorrow in fact. Plenty of time for us all to be together."

Gur merely chuffed and gave a flurry of clicks before he stalked away with the plates in hand.

* * *

"I hope you don't mind me saying but Gur doesn't seem too impressed by his father's return," Amelia said once she and Hil'rak were alone.

"Don't mind my pup, Amelia. He's just upset that his father banned him from joining this last hunt."

"Oh?"

Hil'rak sighed. "Tok'sur has always taken Gur with him when hunting but he's been attempting to find a dangerous creature on a fringe world far from here. Tok'sur didn't want distractions while on the hunt. Gur didn't take kindly to being called that. He's been surly ever since. Even joined Kaz on those foolhardy _kiande amedha_ tasks just to spite him. All that over one silly hunt."

Amelia grinned. "Sounds a bit like an angry teenager."

"Just you wait. The minute Tok'sur walks back in that door with his new trophy, that attitude of Gur's will disappear. Tok'sur... he worries. When they hunt together he spends more time tracking Gur then he does his prey. He couldn't afford that on this last hunt."

Hil'rak glanced at Amelia warmly. "I think you'll like him. Tok'sur I mean. I've told him so much about you. He's eager to make your acquaintance and test you in battle!"

Amelia blanched at the battle part. "What have you told him?!"


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **Return  
**

Amelia couldn't stop staring at it. No matter now much she tried and oh how she did try. Her eyes seemed almost unmovable, practically glued on the deformed and withered left arm of Tok'sur.

Gur's father had returned early that morning to an enthusiastic greeting from his son the moment the yautja saw him. Amelia had quickly realized that she was the only one surprised as Gur's bluster from the day before disappeared beneath his almost human delight at Tok'sur's safe return.

The tall broad yautja for his part seemed to enjoy his son's greeting with various purrs and clicks passing between the pair, a language to Amelia's senses at least that said far more than what any clumsy words could have. It was as Gur finally stepped away from his father and started to fuss over the trophies he'd brought that Amelia saw it... that blighted arm.

It was thin and gnarlled. Still moving from what she could see but not the same as the powerful and muscular right arm that showed up the defects in its companion through a very stark visual comparison. Tok'sur didn't seem impeded although the first thoughts through Amelia's mind dwelled on why he never fixed it. The yautja had long ago perfected their medical technology. There was no reason for Tok'sur to be as he was.

Her gaze and thoughts were only broken from it as Hil'rak crossed her vision's path and strode up to Tok'sur who clicked and whistled at her in a very different manner then his greeting with Gur.

As Amelia watched with intense fascination, Hil'rak confidently ran a hand across a vibrant green scar on his bare chest – a clearly new addition.

She gently examined the newly closed wound with her fingers as her eyes never lifted from those digits carefully traced path. Tok'sur clicked and chirped at Hil'rak in a way that Amelia had never heard from any yautja. It sounded almost... desperate. This intimacy was something Amelia had never seen between two yautja, let alone with a yaut and convert human.

Hil'rak, after completing her inspection, gently pressed a light kiss on the wound before she stepped away quietly and headed to her rooms without casting even one glance backwards.

Tok'sur followed immediately after her, leaving Gur to handle the large trophy skulls he brought with him.

* * *

"Training. Now."

Kaz's voice near her ear cause Amelia to jump in fright.

"Isn't it too early?"

"Stay then. Listen to reunion. They'll be loud."

"What... oh god! I'll train! Let's go."

* * *

Amelia sat cross-legged and panting on the floor while Kaz slowly went through move combinations. While Amelia regained her stamina, Kaz would simply continue his own training.

It hit Amelia hard sometimes. She had come so far and yet still couldn't keep up with the superior yautja. Sometimes she'd be enraged with herself and the weakness that she couldn't seem to best. For today however instead of beating herself up, Amelia sat and watched Kaz, admiring as he stretched his muscular frame with every motion.

"They seem happy," she suddenly blurted out, her cheeks flaming bright red as she spoke. Kaz stopped mid move and peered at her oddly.

"Hil'rak and Tok'sur, I mean," Amelia clarified after a long moment of silence.

Kaz tilted his head at her. "Long time together. Know each other," he replied as his body slipped easily back into the sequence of moves he was performing.

"I didn't think that human and yautja could... I dunno."

"Seem happy?"

Amelia blinked. "Yeah. Sorta. i mean be happy."

"You've seen his arm?"

"Of course. Couldn't take my eyes off it."

"Had it at birth. His mother chose not to correct it. He chose not to fix it either. He has taken a weakness and made an asset of it. Tok'sur is a great hunter but arm is not an attractive feature for mating. Sign of bad genes."

"Ahhh. So he wasn't sought out for reproduction."

"Except by Hil'rak. Originally assigned to each other but she grew to like him. Or so she says. Since then they've remained with each other."

Amelia sighed. "But surely he has other options now?"

"He chooses Hil'rak. All of her pups are their pups. And he's had no other pups. Gur is like Tok'sur. Always Loyal. Hil'rak chose him and he chooses her even now back with other yaut."

"Didn't think that yautja did monogamy."

"Yautja different. Think differently. Can make whatever choice they wish."

"Do you know your siblings?"

Kaz froze. "Mi'di... no. Jul'uk did not bring me to them or them to me."

He slowly let his arms drift to his sides as he pondered this silently to himself.

"I'm sure there was a reason for that," Amelia replied eagerly. "And anyway... he raised you. He worries about you. I'm a completely different species and even I could see that."

"We should go back."

Amelia raised a brow at that. "Will they be... done _?"_

"No."

* * *

Kaz was right to Amelia's horror.  
The noise of the couple's frequent and clearly enthusiastic mating was heard through the whole house. There was nowhere to escape to except out into the rest of the mother-ship.

Amelia followed Kaz back to his vessel where they set about prepping for its next and longer voyage. Gur had arranged to meet with some elders far from the yautja home-world. Once they'd petitioned their case with their queen head trophies to add weight to their claims, Gur was confident that the elders would approve the issuance of a mother-ship permit to the pair.

Amelia had sat quietly shortly after Gur had joined them in the exile from his family home. He'd started immediately into discussing planning and organizing while Kaz merely listened. Amelia's heart sank in her chest as the topic of the young females who'd committed to joining came up in conversation. Lots of pups was Gur's repeated line. They needed to make as many as possible.

Before Kaz could reply, a message came through from Hil'rak. Tok'sur was waiting. Waiting with Jul'uk.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 **The Choice Before Her**

Amelia, in a not unexpected way, found herself excluded from the conversation between the younger yautjas and their respective sires.

Kaz and Gur had immediately upon arrival followed the older yautjas to a small room in Hil'rak's home where the discussions would take place. She had no idea what was being talked about but it was clearly intense from the heated exchanges going on just out of hearing range.

Amelia instead passed the time with Hil'rak who'd chosen to not be part of the discussions for reasons she kept to herself. Instead she sat and talked with Amelia while they both carefully ignored the angry noises from the closed room full of yautja.

"You seem quiet, little one. Something bothering you?"

Amelia gave a tired smile to the older woman who was just glowing after her rapturous welcome of Tok'sur.

"I'm just feeling my humanity I suppose." She stared at her calloused and scarred hands in her lap. "I'm not really cut out for this. At least as I am right now. I can barely keep up with the pace of training, let alone a real hunt. Not one where Kaz needs to save me at least."

"But you have hunted in spite of what you may believe. Successfully too. We can possibly see about maybe some tech that will give you the advance you seek."

Amelia finally tore her eyes away from the hands fiddling her lap and set them on the concerned face of Hil'rak.

"I.. I think I'd like to become like you."

"Amelia, I can't recommend that path for you."

"Who can then?"

"No one, little one. Let's focus on what we can do with tech."

"But I just-"

"Stop!" Hil'rak suddenly shouted out. "Just... stop. What you just said is madness."

"I don't understand. You survived it!"

"At the cost of being human, Amelia!"

"If I stay human then I can't stay here. You know that!"

Hil'rak grimaced before she sighed deeply. "... I know. I've always known."

"You think I should go," Amelia suddenly said in a monotone voice as she realized what the strain on Hil'rak's face really meant.

"Don't take this the wrong way. I see myself in you when I was younger. See my sister too. This life is tough. Hard. I doubt that Clara would have endured it, had she lived. I want what's best for you, Amelia. I really do. I don't want to see another life just tossed away."

Amelia sank back into her chair in despair. All her improvements, all that training... for nothing. Hil'rak believed that she couldn't do it. Even after everything she'd somehow accomplished up to now. Her heart was slowly breaking in her chest and her voice abandoned her as the hurt flooded in a tidal wave.

"I know this is hard. I'll get us some tea. Always soothes my soul. When I get back we can talk through this properly." Hil'rak took off for her kitchens.

Shortly after her disappearance, Amelia slipped up from her chair and quietly left the house.

* * *

It was the first time she'd traveled the mother-ship completely alone with no destination in mind.

The warren like hallways seemed to merge into a labyrinth that led from one communal area to another. None tried to stop her although more than a few peered oddly at the human among them.

Not that Amelia noticed. She was too heart scalded to care what the yaut around her thought. When her body finally grew weary of the constant walking, Amelia found a secluded corner near one of the docks and sank down. She sat with aching back pressed against the hard cold wall while her body rattled and vibrated with the powerful engines and mechanisms of the mother-ship.

She didn't know how long she sat there in her quiet melancholy. But she would always remember what brought her out of it.

"Human. Should you not be with Hil'rak?"

Amelia peered up bleary eyed at the tall imposing figure of Jul'uk. The ancient returned her stare impassively. Her brain fuzzily queried why he wasn't still locked in that room arguing with Kaz and Gur. Her voice however did not vocalize that question.

"I, ahem... I needed some space," she answered quietly.

"How so?"

"It doesn't matter."

"I imagine that my pup would disagree."

Amelia couldn't keep eye contact with Jul'uk and quickly cast her gaze at the floor. "I should go return," she muttered before scrambling to her feet.

Before she could escape, Jul'uk caught her arm in a grip that almost yanked it free from its socket. Amelia had barely time to squeal in pain and surprise when the ancient hauled her up to stand before him.

"Continue. Why are you here?"

"I... I just needed a quiet spot to think."

"Why?"

"Because I know now that I must leave."

Jul'uk tilted his head curiously, a move that Kaz had clearly inherited from him.

"And why must that happen? You seemed content to remain when I asked you last."

Amelia suddenly couldn't contain herself as tears started to streak down her cheeks.

"I'm not strong enough! I want... I want to hunt with Kaz and Gur. I want to even beat them at it but I'm too weak. I'm not good enough. I'd asked Hil'rak if I could become like her but she didn't think I'm strong enough for it. I just... I have to go away..."

* * *

The grip around her arm loosened and Jul'uk allowed her to step back and gather her composure.

"A strange request. Stranger still is Hil'rak's answer to you. She was far weaker when she underwent the procedure."

Amelia stared at the floor to keep the ancient from seeing the tears she desperately wiped away.

"I can help you, Amelia. But there is no going back once you make the choice. The reverse process would kill you. You must be certain."

Amelia gazed at Jul'uk in surprise and blinked, hope sparking for a brief moment. "I know what I want."

"One condition then. You travel and train following the procedure with an old friend of mine. Good yautja. Powerful hunter. He has requested a new hunting partner and you would... suit his tastes. You will leave Kaz'iliat behind for now. No contact while you learn. I will tell him once you are off world."

"I should tell him myself. He's done so-"

"No. I will. If this is what you want then you must board my vessel now."

"But... Kaz! Hil'rak and Gur... my things back at Kaz's ship!"

"Your possessions will be retrieved or replaced and those interested in your safety will be informed. Are you ready to begin?"

Amelia with trepidation nodded.

"Come. We will make for my ship. The process will be long and painful; and we have far to go to meet with Mir'ok."

Jul'uk led the way while Amelia followed with a heavy heart knowing she would likely never see the inside of this mother ship again.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

 **Change**

"Will it hurt?"

Amelia could barely see the dark shadow of the yautja doctor just to her left side due to the blinding lights above her. It had been several cycles since her unceremonious departure from the mother-ship and the safety she had known with Kaz, Hil'rak and even Gur.

The moment she had stepped on-board Jul'uk's ship she'd been hurriedly taken by him to the medical ward and not allowed to leave. And there she stayed during the long cycles to this moment while all around her probed and prodded, preparing her they stated for the procedure ahead.

Now she was here, strapped to the table while they finally started it.

"Will it hurt... much?" she asked again as it became clear that her first question was ignored.

A chuff came from somewhere out of her sight. "You will not feel it for you will not be awake. The pain is beyond your capacity to bear. So you must sleep."

Amelia blinked. "How long will you keep me asleep for?"

"Twenty cycles must pass before you may reawaken. Even then moderate pain will be present but you must bear it. We must see how you have taken to the change."

Suddenly the bright lights that almost blinded her dimmed as the large yautja medic stuck his head above hers and peered down at her. He clicked rapidly, "Are you ready to begin?"

She nodded. "Y-yeah."

"Rest," came the rumbling reply as Amelia suddenly felt overwhelming tired. "We will see each other again."

The world went dark.

* * *

She dreamed. Fearfully strange dreams. Dark woods and forests full of howling beasts all desperately tearing at each other. Then there was Amelia, weak and unsure, who only knew how to run. And in those dreams she ran. There was no end to the darkness or danger, no safe harbor to fling herself into. She had to keep running until she had no more strength left.

She woke slowly back to reality with her body aching terribly. Pain ebbed from every joint and limb, even almost suffocating her as her lungs struggled to take in breaths with the devastating pain of her ribs. Her heart felt as though it was tearing in two in her chest.

She let out a moan of anguish, one which was answered by frantic clicks and chirps by the yautja present who'd clearly not expected it.. Amelia quickly realized even through the foggy pain that she wasn't supposed to be awake yet.

Her vision went fuzzy quickly as her brain started to shut her off once more to the world. A familiar but obscure figure had rushed to her side during her confusion and now soothed her gently back to rest with purrs and clicks. Her mind failed to identify them, only letting her know that she was safe as she passed back unconsciousness.

* * *

This time there were no dreams. Only the drift into sleep followed by awakening once more. On this occasion the pain was not so all consuming as it had been and she had time to really take it all in.

"Sit."

Amelia struggled valiantly against the pain to pull herself into a seated position. The yautja present watched her closely and yet none went to help her.

With one last gasping effort, she managed to get upright.

"Good. Good," was the chuffing reply from the yautja medic who'd placed her into sleep so many cycles ago.

Amelia blinked rapidly against the light. "I can't quite see..."

"Expected. Will take time to adjust. It's good you have the strength to move by yourself. Bodes well for your continued transformation. Now on your feet. You must get walking."

She shook her head a little before attempting what he asked. She peered at her feet, finally realizing what they looked like.

"Oh god! My feet!"

They'd changed. She still have five toes but the skin was now covered in the same scale like skin of yautja that was dappled with shades of various pinks and creams while a band of dark green was flicked along the sides. Amelia's eyes followed the dark green as it skirted from her feet to her legs and continued until it disappeared beneath the light shirt she wore. Amelia quickly yanked the neck of the shirt out and peered down.

Her torso was the same as her feet – skin now thickened with the dark green flowing in a line along her sides.

Amelia ran a hand along her stomach, noting that it too had changed the same as the rest of her body. But feeling... feeling was still there she noted. She didn't seem desensitized to her relief and fear. Surely she was meant to be more resistant and if so, why could she still feel touches on her skin in the same way when she'd been purely human?

She had no more time to ponder it as she was roughly shoved off the bed and on to her unsteady feet. Grimacing through the pain, Amelia set about walking forward on her shaky legs. She barely got three steps in when she felt one leg lose power and the rest of her body went with it to the floor. Amelia braced for the impact with eyes squeezed shut and arms cast outwards. Only... she found herself caught in anothers arms. Amelia opened her eyes slowly and peered into the impassive face of Kaz.

* * *

"What... what are you doing here?" she squeaked as Kaz lifted her back onto her feet.

"Continue moving," he barked at her, watching her feet closely as she attempted to do as he asked.

Amelia managed another few steps before turning around and walking back.

Kaz snorted in approval, directing her in silence back to the bed before he suddenly left almost as quickly as he had arrived. Amelia didn't have time to even start a sentence when he'd disappeared through the main door.

"Kaz!" she shouted out. "Wait!" Amelia attempted to hobble after him only to find herself restrained by the medic.

"Rest. He will return. He did not leave your side for long during your rest."

Amelia was roughly pushed back on to the bed before the medic started fiddling with the machine near it.

"He shouldn't be here. He wasn't meant to be here!"

"Kaz'iliat arrived one cycle after you were placed into sleep. Rest. He will be here when you next wake."

She couldn't fight whatever it was the medic had done and she passed out.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 **Changes  
**

"Hey."

Amelia's sleepy voice broke the uneasy silence in the clinic. To her side sat Kaz who was intensely focused on sharping his already finely honed wrist blades. His attention immediately snapped to the patient in the bed once he heard her voice.

"You are not scheduled to wake yet," was the terse reply to her gentle greeting.

Amelia slowly dragged herself into a sitting position, face grimacing as her bones ached.

"Are you in discomfort?" Kaz asked as he left his seat and stood closer to the bed in order to help if needed.

"No. Just tired. Feel so old," Amelia sighed. She blinked her bleary eyes until she had some focus before setting on Kaz. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you?"

"Kaz..."

The yautja snorted. "You could have spoken with me. Instead you divulged your desires to my sire."

"It wasn't like that."

Kaz huffed. "I know he has used you as a pawn to force my hand."

"I don't understand..." Amelia replied in a shaky voice.

"He wished me to abandon the idea of the new clan. Go and train instead with his litter mate, Mir'ok. Now... I'm here even after refusing him because of you."

Amelia set her jaw, letting her anger bubble up at that remark. "You didn't need to come here!" she barked back. "I didn't force you to!"

"Oh? You think I should have let you abscond with my sire with no idea of where you were going?!"

"Yes actually! You said it before! I'm blooded now. The choice was mine! I mean..." Amelia suddenly deflated. "... I had wanted to tell you myself. But Jul'uk wouldn't allow it."

"You could have spoken with me. About this," Kaz replied with a gesture towards her new and still developing body.

"It only really struck me when I was speaking with Hil'rak while you and Gur were in that meeting with your sires. She wasn't receptive to the idea at all. Jul'uk found me after and he made the offer. If I didn't go with him immediately I would have lost the chance."

Amelia risked a glance up at Kaz's face and found her blue eyes met by his piercing amber. "I'm sorry I had to go so suddenly without saying a word for what it is worth."

"You speak as though I would have rejected your request. As it was, it took time to catch up with you," Kaz remarked sullenly. "Now we are both tied to trainig with Mir'ok."

"You too?"

"My sire refused to let me board unless I gave my word," Kaz huffed out. "Come. On your feet. You need to keep moving."

* * *

She had get new clothes. More yautja-like which bared a lot of flesh that she was not exactly comfortable with. It barely covered her breasts and crotch, leaving her feel extremely exposed. Apparently she could wear more eventually but due to the changes still going on, it would be better to wear this.

Amelia wasn't convinced but she finally got a chance to see herself in a mirror while changing into the wispy garments..

Her face and hair was mostly unchanged. Well, if you discounted the thin yautja tendrils that were sporadic among her own more human hair. From her neck down the change was far starker. The skin changes she had spotted earlier were the most visible aspect but now she could really see that her curves were now swaddled in more muscle then she had ever dreamed of.

"I'm glad I could keep my face at least," she mused.

Kaz who was watching her with an unusual intensity replied, "Necessary for mental health. Many other species have undergone this process and the same problem emerged... the body changes were tolerated but change of the facial identifiers caused psychological breakdown shortly after the morphing was completed. It was removed early in the process."

"Jesus... I'm more than happy to hold on to this face then."

She started completing the last adjustments to the scraps of fabric that covered her more private areas when she heard a low growl. She glanced at Kaz, noting his eyes focused on her hands and where they lingered on her body. Amelia had never seen him like this, at least not looking at her with this... hunger. She quickly completed her task before she broached the subject.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"Just... you were growling. And staring."

Kaz chuffed. "You are attractive. More so now with the changes. Your scent is very alluring."

Amelia blanched white. "Did that just happen..," she muttered softly with eyes fixed on Kaz who suddenly advanced on her. She took more than a few steps back until she reached a solid cold wall. Kaz didn't stop until he had her pinned between that wall and the solid mass that was his broad muscular frame.

His mandibles flared open and closed as he inhaled her scent.

"Kaz, I- ahem."

"You find me attractive. I am aware. Have always been aware. Can smell it," the yautja rumbled as he pressed slightly closer. Close enough that Amelia found herself flush against his body. The dull pain that had been there disappeared under familiar tingles and shivers that racked her.

"But... that can wait for later," Kaz rumbled before stepping back. "We must go to Jul'uk."

* * *

Kaz led the way through the imposing hallways with Amelia not too far behind.

Her mind however was not on the task at hand, instead it was stuck replaying what happened in the medical bay. She shivered even though she was not cold. He knew. He'd known what she'd tried to keep to herself. All those lies she told herself was for nothing. He knew. And he found her attractive in return. Her brain and heart was caught in a loop, and she barely noticed when Kaz finally came to a stop outside a large imposing door.

"We are here. Are you ready?"

"Y-yeah," Amelia answered practically instantly.

Kaz nodded before he stepped inside. Amelia followed at his heels.

"He said he would be here," Kaz growled when he realized that the room was empty.

"A hairbrush?" Amelia couldn't stop the words from erupting from her mouth as soon as she spotted it.

The wooden handled bristle brush was placed neatly on a table, displayed along with some other human items with almost as much reverence as the trophy skulls that adorned the walls.

Amelia looked over them eagerly. Framed photos, jewellery, a toothbrush and a number of perfumes. She picked up one of the framed pictures and immediately identified Kaz's mother, Clara.

"He's kept some of her things?"

"All of her things," Kaz rumbled behind her.

She spun around on her heel. "He cared about her! He must have when he kept all of these things!"

Kaz stared at her oddly. "What did you believe before today?" he queried.

* * *

"Forgive my delay," Jul'uk barked, striding in before Amelia could reply to Kaz.

"We will meet with Mir'ok shortly. To that end, we have much to discuss."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

 **Mir'ok**

Jul'uk had wasted no time in giving his orders to Kaz and Amelia once they had seated themselves on the few chairs he had in his quarters.

"Mir'ok has agreed to meet on the Krozluk preserve world. Once in orbit, you will both be sent to join him on the surface. You first must locate him then follow his directions."

"Krozluk? That world has not been hunted in my lifetime," Kaz remarked quizzically.

"And so shall it remain unhunted. Mir'ok has other concerns then trophies on that world and you both will aid him in his mission," Jul'uk continued, seemingly ignoring his son's confusion. "Ooman, you in particular will be needed. I've forwarded on your details to Mir'ok. He will be most particular about your task on the surface. Follow his every word."

Kaz was about to press on why Amelia was to be singled out when Jul'uk turned to him. "For now, you are forbidden to mate with her. Once this is all over... you both may do as you wish. I need your word on this, Kaz'iliat."

He turned his aged amber eyes on Amelia. "And yours too, ooman. This will not be for long."

Kaz slowly gave his consent, following Amelia's lead on the matter.

"Good. If Mir'ok finds what he needs here, we will press on to K'kstu."

Jul'uk watched as his son jumped to his feet. "K'kstu?"

"You will understand in time. First you must prepare for the world below. There are dangers lurking that you have never faced, Kaz. As such, I will be issuing you weaponry from my personnel armory."

Amelia was as stumped as Kaz who couldn't bring himself to respond. Jul'uk seemed to understand his son's confusion.

"My weaponry are tailored for the enemies you will find. The pale giants. Mala'kaks."

Jul'uk hissed out the last part with venom.

"They haven't been seen in millennia!" Kaz sputtered.

"That means nothing when it comes to them. They are below and in great numbers." Jul'uk reached forward and grabbed the nape of Kaz's neck, pulling him foward until their foreheads met.  
"I need you to keep your head, Kaz'iliat. You must survive this. Your success at claiming the queen heads has shown me that you are ready. I have trained you to face them. Remember the lessons I taught you. But in spite of all of that. I still fear for your return. This is your final lesson. One that you must learn with Mir'ok."

"Why don't you come with us?" Kaz sputtered out.

"My task is on K'kstu. I will meet you there. Mir'ok knows the way."

* * *

Jul'uk had given Kaz a tremendous amount of firepower, including a triple-headed shoulder Plasmacaster that Amelia had never seen before. For herself, Jul'uk had given her wrist gauntlets with sharp blades, a gift that was soon after joined with some mines and a Smart Disc. All devices she could carry easily she realised.

With that, he asked them to go and prepare themselves through extensive training with their new weaponry. Although their first stop was back to the medical bay as Kaz escorted Amelia to her bed where she could rest her weary body until the next cycle when she too would be able to train.

"You seem worried."

Amelia gazed up at Kaz from the bed she rested in.

"The Mala'kak are... strong. There are no other prey that compares to them. At least it is said," he rumbled back. "I do not fear failure. I fear disappointing Jul'uk. He has given me the greatest pieces in his arsenal. I must see them returned to him. And K'kstu. I do not understand why he returns there."

"I think he's more concerned that you return in one piece than his weapons, Kaz. And as for K'kstu... I think we'll find that out in time."

The yautja snorted but seemed to take her words on board.

"So... no mating?"

"I do not understand his concern in that regard," Kaz replied.

Amelia sighed. "I think he needs me for something. I'm a tool right now and my usefulness will apparently disappear if we... you know. No idea why. Just my impression from what he said."

She slipped her hand on to his, ignoring the yautja's confusion. "It's okay though. He seemed okay with it overall."

"He has no issue with you, Amelia. A talk perhaps for another day. When we are both more aware of what is going on."

She nodded and gave him a warm smile as Kaz left her side and out of the medical bay.

* * *

Amelia laid back and stared up at the blank ceiling.

"The pale giants," she murmured to herself.

A grunt from the far corner caught her attention. The medic who'd been ever present since she'd first arrived had heard her.

"What do you know of them, ooman?"

"Nothing. Only the name. Do you know more?"

The answering snort told her he did and was clearly about to impart his knowledge to the lesser being on the bed. Amelia had gotten used to his peculiarities quite quickly and no longer took any offense to his gruff manner.

"They were hulking beasts. Myth now to many. Except to Jul'uk."

"Jul'uk?"

"Fought in the great war. Remembers it clearly. Your species were barely walking on two feet when it happened. Tore the very stars apart and ravaged worlds across galaxies. Jul'uk was a young yautja then. Barely blooded. Then they disappeared and in their place the _k_ _ainde amedha_ rose. So many cycles have passed and the young have forgotten the lessons the old learned. For those who remember it, eternal vigilance is their reward."

Amelia sat upright quickly. "You know why we are doing this."

Silence was his answer to her.

* * *

After being ignored thoroughly despite pestering the medic for what had seemed to Amelia like hours, she finally went to sleep.

When she finally woke the next cycle, Amelia was ready. She ignored the tiredness in her limbs and forced herself to gear up. She needed to be ready. If Jul'uk was concerned over Kaz's safety down there, Amelia was going to make sure he didn't need to. At least to the best of her ability.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

 **The Pale Ones**

Amelia was crouched on her hunches, watching the eep and flow of the thick forest around her.

Kaz was somewhere nearby, both camouflaged as they observed the world.

They had landed on the surface of the planet nearly two full cycles previously but finding the old yaut they had planned on meeting took longer than originally planned. There were no communications, no system they could use to alert him of their presence. They had to hunt him as though he was prey. No easy task considering this was Kaz's uncle, a yautja who'd lived a life that stretched as long as Jul'uk's.

Kaz had been a marvel for Amelia to watch on the hunt. He'd managed to find traces of the elusive hunter mere hours after arrival and they pursued the sparse trail ever since.

Amelia had begun to realize fully why Kaz was both respected and feared. He was his father's son in every sense. Jul'uk had given him the benefit of all of his own long years of learning, distilling it so Kaz in his youth would be almost as effective as he was after millennia. He exercised deliberate caution which allowed them to circumnavigate intricate traps weaved by the older yaut on his circuitous path ahead of them.

"Not meant to capture or kill us," Kaz had remarked as he led Amelia safely around one particular grizzly trap. "He's setting an escape route."

"Really?"

"Yes. Set for the pale giants."

"How can you tell?"

"Size. Structure. Jul'uk trained me in setting such traps myself. And how to spot them. Come. We must continue."

* * *

Hours later they were still pursuing the old yautja and Amelia felt her strength starting to flag.

Night was starting to fall when she finally couldn't run anymore.

"Kaz... I have to stop," she whispered into helmet as she perched carefully on a large rock. Amelia couldn't see or hear him but knew he was somewhere in trees. "Go ahead of me. I need to rest. I'll catch up."

She nearly screamed in surprise as Kaz appeared suddenly, at her side and towering above her.

"We will camp," he replied. "There's a cave not far from here. It will provide adequate shelter and cover."

* * *

Kaz sat by the small campfire Amelia had started with his back against the cave wall. His attention was split between keeping an eye on the entrance-way to the cave where he's set up auto turrets and traps, and Amelia who was setting up somewhere for her to sleep.

The yautja had insisted that the fire be placed behind a jutting wall, an attempt to keep the light from drawing to them creatures they did not wish.

Kaz had already easily caught and killed a number of strange bird like creatures which then had become dinner for the pair. It wasn't the worst meal Amelia had ever had although attempting to decipher what her scanner was telling her about the meat she was cutting was a greater challenge.

* * *

Amelia finally had cleared the dirt floor of jutting stones and stretched out with a sigh.

She glanced over at her yautja companion whose focus was on the entrance-way.

"Kaz?"

"Hmm?

"What do you know of the pale ones? The Mala'kak ?"

Kaz clicked and chuffed. "Only what Jul'uk has told me. Stronger than even the yaut. My sire bears many scars proudly. Most from them. They forged him into what he is."

Amelia flipped onto her side to face where Kaz sat ready. "Really?"

"Yautja can live long but rarely do. Jul'uk used to say that younger pups too focused on honor and trophy hunts. He banned me when younger from such things."

"You never hunted?"

"No. Said it wrong. Hunted but not for trophies. Hunted for survival, for food and warmth. Jul'uk doesn't care for trophies. Has not since very young. The war changed him. Changed all yautja at the time. Now they are all ancients like Jul'uk. Survivors. He did not want me to be like the other young pups. Hated it. So took me with him. I was fully grown when I first saw the mother-ship and so many other yautja."

"So it was just you and Jul'uk?"

"From when I was a pup. Went everywhere together. Taught me to be yautja but not yautja. To be like him. We met others from time to time. Hil'rak and her pups. Gur. Mir'ok too. Family. It was only when he thought I was ready that we ever went near the mother-ship."

"Kaz... why aren't you still with him? I mean Gur and Hil'rak seem to think there's this distance between you two."

Kaz chuffed in amusement. "Not like that. We had to part so I could learn to live among yautja. Decision by both of us although I had wished it would be different. So I moved to the mother-ship alone. It was hard. Difficult to find my place. I even thought even I would go back to my sire. Then... I saw you. You should really get some rest. Nights are not long on this world."

Amelia smiled.

* * *

The dawn was breaking when she awoke to find they had company.

A yautja very much like Jul'uk was standing with Kaz near the entrance-way, the pair speaking with each other in hurried whispered tones.

"Hey," she greeted cautiously after getting to her feet.

The newcomer turned his amber eyes on her with amusement. "The ooman wakes at last. We've been waiting for you."

"You must be Mir'ok."

The Ancient chirped his acknowledgement of the name and bowed slightly. "In the flesh. So... are you ready for the next step?"

"Wait. What are we here to do?"

"The pale ones are waking up. We must put them back in their slumber. And you, ooman, will be our method of doing so."

* * *

Amelia was still so confused.

Kaz had left them shortly after leaving the cave, his mission apparently further to the south. She'd been reluctant to leave him go alone but Mir'ok had insisted that she travel with him.

"So how am I going to put the pale giants back to sleep?" she asked the old yautja as he prepared to move out.

"Their ship and its tech difficult. Activates to genetic markers. You have the same markers, as all oomans do. I need you to start the ship and I can take care of the rest."

"How do I have the same markers?"

The ancient laughed at her. "Your world was seeded. Rebel group of the giants during the war. They were winning at first until we became smarter. Suddenly we turned the tide and they were retreating from world to world. Some of their kind believed we would wipe them out entirely so a few of their number decided to instead seed worlds with their bodies as a legacy. All life on your world shares their markers. Mala'kak and yet not Mala'kak. Now let us move out. We must reach their vessel before young Kaz arrives at his own goal."


End file.
